Disclaimer:

Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author/publisher to The Pagan & The Pen Book Reviews. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Jun 20, 2010

Rogue Dancer by K.M. Tolan

                                       
THE PAGAN & PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title:  Rogue Dancer 
Author:  K. M. Tolan   
Buy Link
Publisher:  Champagne Books
Genre: Science-Fiction/Military/Political/Romance
Length: 297 pgs.
Reviewed by: C. LaForce



About The Book: Arms outstretched for balance, Mikial sank down into a crouch, glowering at the one new thing entering her morning routine. An assassin. The hairs along her forearms raised with a surge of bioelectric energy, beads of insulating sweat glistening her palms.

The Datha possessed broad shoulders and a firm jaw line. He regarded her with bright amber eyes similar to her own. His braids reminded her of spun straw. Standing there in a black dress uniform with his pressed side skirts, she considered him quite attractive save for the pistol he aimed up at her. His not immediately opening fire on her suggested there might be some maneuvering room available. Perhaps some Kinset pride to leverage, she considered, scowling at the sword badge over his right pocket. "I am a combat veteran and the best you can do is shoot me like some rabid animal? Is that all the honor Kinset's Datha can muster these days?"

His expression flaunted the usual brand of professional impassivity she had been receiving since her incarceration. To her relief, he flung the weapon toward the door. "Had my intentions been other than honorable, you would already be dead. Not that it matters. I placed within the top rank of my graduating class. The end result will be the same, but it will come with both honor and respect for your past service."

Mikial leapt to the floor across from him, her lips drawing back. "And what is so worth my life? Your Holding's Taqurl pride?"

Hatred oozed out from behind the edges of the Datha's stone face. "No Servant will ever rule us!" He launched himself at her.

And you expect me to sidestep into some eloquent combat stance, don't you?  She obliged him, favoring her left foot only for the instant it took to see him adjust accordingly. Mikial switched balance and flung herself bodily into his face. The crude maneuver threw him on his back with her splayed across him. Twisting around, Mikial seized his head with drawn claws and discharged a fatal jolt of electricity through her palms. She rolled off his shuddering body and glared down at it, her lips curling back. "I wasn't in the top rank. I was First!"

The Review:

The teaser for this book hooked me. I picked it up and started reading. I did not research the author, or the book itself, as I probably should have. I simply sat down and read the whole novel, pretty much without stopping, except to feed the family and other impossible-to-ignore requirements. It was a wonderful science-fiction adventure, brim-full of politics, military action, and romance. I was so sorry to see it end, that upon reaching the conclusion, I immediately dove into the internet looking for more. I was thrilled to find another book in the series, as well as a third book by the author, both of which look very promising. I have bought, and shall happily start reading, all of Mr. Tolan’s books … probably as soon as I am done writing this review.

“Rogue Dancer” is actually the second book of its series. The first book is “Blade Dancer”, a 2009 Eppie Award finalist, and it looks like a grand adventure by itself. I usually feel cheated when I find that I’ve carelessly read serial books out of order, but not this time. “Rogue Dancer” stands on its own solidly. Bits of the past were folded into this story in a way that was seamless, and not at all distracting. I read the recent history as it was meant; as a foundation to the people and world. I didn’t get the impression that I was being fed a quick and dirty recap of the last episode. I honestly did not realize I was reading a sequel.

Mikial is a female leader in a military caste on a world where the citizens are literally born to fit a specialty. Meaning, they are genetically predisposed to fill certain roles – healing, communication, technical, and military. In their past, a non-talented servant caste was created, and abused, which is the primary cause of continued internal strife. This conflict was the basis of a recent civil war, part of the story from the first book, which was further inflamed by interference from space-faring, meddlesome humans. These tensions continue in “Rogue Dancer”. After surviving a difficult biological transformation that occurs in certain individuals who are destined to be leaders of their race, Mikial is again dealing with political upheavals that threaten her people with chaos. Facing prejudice and selfish treachery, she must fight to unite the nations of her world, as well as protect them all from extra-terrestrial dangers. Her political and diplomatic abilities are further tested by the introduction of a second alien race that has its own issues with human invaders. Mikial is the focus of this book, but she is surrounded by a multitude of very likable – or detestable, in the case of the enemy types – well-rounded supporting characters. I find myself wanting to know more of the hinted at side-stories and the histories of other personalities, and I do not believe these two books will be enough for me!
  
Mr. Tolan has done a wonderful job with the world he created for this series. It was steeped in a sense of deep history and detailed culture and I am amazed that he managed to fit so much into an average length novel. He painted vivid scenery and described, without seeming to describe, a mental eye-full of alien technology, and the old and new structures and cities visited in the story. Mr. Tolan also knows military. I’m an Army veteran and can honestly say that I’ve served with some of his characters, minus, of course, the space travel and their alien nature. Mikial’s race is handled deftly. The author brings them to exotic life. He makes the reader understand who they are, why they fight, what they think, how they love, and why they dance, all without interfering with his telling of the story. The culture has its own racial and caste complexity, as well as distinct gender roles, and again, we get all this detail without being taken away from the plot. Beautifully done!


I look forward to reading the two books, “Blade Dancer” and “Rogue Dancer”, in the order intended. I do not actually need to re-read the second book, but I will gladly do so as it is worth re-visiting a time or three. If there are more tales to be told about these people and of this world, I’ll read them too (Big hint Mr. Tolan! Please?). I also look forward to reading “Waiting Weapon”, a third book I found on the author’s website. Mr. Kerry Tolan is a talented storyteller, and I cannot wait to see what he creates next. 
 
Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 9 – I like the colors and overall artwork. The cover is eye-catching and it fits the genre and this story. The font is great too. The woman’s pose is awkward. The character is supposed to be a strong, alien, warrior and dancer, but my arm hurts in sympathy for the position of her shoulder. 

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Call Me Sir, Too by Stormy Glenn


THE PAGAN & PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title:  Call Me Sir, Too
Author:  Stormy Glenn 
Buy Link
Publisher:  Noble Romance Publishing LLC
Genre: Contemporary/Gay/Erotica
Length: 146 Pages: 
Other:  M/M/Discipline-Spanking/Kidnapping
Pagan & Pagan Elements: None
Reviewed by: Russ Allen



About The Book: Dante knew Daniel was the man for him the minute he said his first curse word. He was everything Dante could ever want in a sub: gorgeous, spunky, and totally into the lifestyle Dante enjoyed most. But nothing's ever as simple as it should be. When Dante gets called away on business he expects to be gone for a couple of weeks. He figures to claim Daniel when he comes home, but two weeks quickly turn into six months.
When Dante finally returns, everything he'd been looking for in a mate is gone. Daniel's been assaulted and beaten by a Dom out of control. He no longer trusts anyone—including Dante.

Determined to find the man he knows Daniel can be, Dante moves Daniel into his home and his life. But along with Daniel's insecurities and lack of trust, Dante has to fight the
Dom that assaulted Daniel in the first place and a host of other misunderstandings before he can prove to Daniel that what they have is worth fighting for.

The Review: This is a moderately well-written, if a little on the long side, story that conveys the nature of a specific aspect of the gay lifestyle. It has its drawbacks, but overall, it succeeds.

The author introduces some elements that prove undeveloped or unnecessary to her story, while leaving others unresolved. Among the former are the reference to Joey’s father and the 23-year old still-in-school son of one of the street thugs [that section is not convincing]; the latter includes, importantly, the reasons for Dante’s six month disappearance and details regarding the abuse experienced by Daniel. Also, somewhat convincing are the actions of the fake policeman who kidnaps Daniel.

Unfortunately, the key characters come across as two-dimensional, almost stereotypes for some types of homosexuals. That makes their stories somewhat unbelievable, more fantasy than factual in their fictional presentation.

That being said, the real plus in this story is its insight into an aspect of the gay lifestyle, which is not really BDSM, but D. A better understanding of the dynamics, rules, limitations, and actions of gays involved in orchestrated sexual scenes is to be gained from this story, as well as an appreciation of the way by which love developes between men within this context. 

For that alone I recommend this story.

Pagan Elements: None  

Cover (Rated 1-10): 8. The cover aptly suggests the main characters as well as the homoerotic nature of the story, though not its key element of discipline.  I would be interested in examining the book further based on this cover.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Nerd In A Wolf Suit by Laine Morgan


THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title:  Nerd in a Wolf Suit
Author:  Laine Morgan 
Buy Link
Publisher:  Champagne Books
Genre: paranormal romance
Length: 157 pgs.
Other:  M/F
Reviewed by: Keri Stratton Alley



About The Book: Phoebe Morin thinks vampires are stalking her for the microchip her late husband left taped to the back of a photograph. After a vicious attack, Phoebe finds an unlikely protector in the office nerd, Drew Montana.


Despite his issues with socializing, Drew is curious about the microchip, which seems to hold the secret of the vampire universe. He is also the best one to protect Phoebe; killing the undead is what he does best. During the full moon, the introverted Drew transforms into a sexy, dangerous wolf with a mission to kick vampire ass. But when Phoebe presents him with the mysterious microchip, the full moon has waned. Can he discover its secret and protect Phoebe without the strength of the werewolf?

The Review: Ms. Morgan gave her male lead an interesting combination of characteristics that provides a fun dichotomy of personality. In regular form, he has Asperser's syndrome; a psychiatric diagnosis that the character manifests as painful shyness, meticulousness and a reclusive, habitual lifestyle. However, Drew is also a werewolf; fierce, fearless, instinctual and wild, but only for three days a month. Phoebe, the female lead, brings out the wolf in Drew as he struggles to save her from a relatively ineffective group of vampires and a few poltergeists.

This book reads fairly smoothly as the characters try to figure out why the vampires would want a microchip and discover their growing attraction to each other. The sex scenes were tantalizing, but not too explicit; just enough to pique the reader’s interest. I thought Ms. Morgan’s proposed theory for the weakening, and ultimate destruction, of the vampire race was original and quirkily funny.   

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 6–I liked that it was drawn instead of photographed.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Orb World by Andrea Gale


THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title:  Orb World
Author:  Andrea Gale 
Author Site: unable to locate
Buy Link
Publisher:  Champagne Books
Genre: Action/Adventure/Contemporary/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Romance
Length: 326pgs.
Other:  M/F
Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein



About The Book: Ylana is dead. So what is she doing in a strange village on an even stranger world full of leather-clad warriors, slave to a handsome, dark-eyed master, on the eve of embarking on a dangerous quest for a powerful Orb, to save a village, avert a war, and rescue her own future?


The Review: After spending months in a hospital bed waiting to die, Ylana’s hallucinations begin. A large, naked man appears in her room in the middle of the night, watching…waiting for her to die. But Ryall is not a figment of her imagination, nor is he the grim reaper. He is a man from another world who is there to return Ylana’s health to her and then claim her as his slave.
Grateful for her newfound health and a chance at a do-over in life, Ylana quickly accepts her status as a slave and falls her master, Ryall, almost immediately even though he is closed mouthed and brooding.
She soon learns her purpose for being brought to Orb World: to use her skills as a librarian to unlock secrets that will protect the village from impending war. And while there were several loose ends that remained untied at the end of the book, I enjoyed the adventure, the character development, and the unique world the writer created.
Andrea Gale is an author to watch. I look forward to reading her next book.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 8-Dynamic, draws you in and makes you want to read the book.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.


A Noble Sacrifice by Ciara Gold


THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: A Noble Sacrifice
Author: Ciara Gold 
Author Site: http://www.ciaragold.com/
Buy Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-anoblesacrifice-9407-140.html
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Science Fiction/Futuristic/Romance
Length: 234 pgs.
Other: M/F
Pagan & Pagan Elements: no/yes
Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein



About The Book: Can a stranger from a distant planet breach Yalfar's strict laws to save a nation from doom and rescue one lone woman from the errors of her way? Fen Tared Charst has betrayed his brother, and his people. To right the wrongs he's done, he suffers the horrors of the zeel pits only to find himself a captive of the Temi tribe. In Yalfar, he discovers that leading the Temi princess and her warriors from their dying world is the key to his redemption. But losing his heart to Princess Joyella will be the key to saving his soul. Princess Joyella Denue has broken a sacred law and for that, she is exiled from Yalfar. To regain her honor, she agrees to lead a convoy topside to escape the collapsing city, but she can't make the journey alone. She needs someone who has traversed the path to guide her. Tared is forced to help her, but he soon becomes more than just a guide, he becomes her heart.

The Review: The author, Ciara Gold, does a wonderful job creating an intriguing world and an interesting adventure for the reader. The combination of technology and religion is unique and well thought out. The relationship between the mother, Kormion, and the daughter, Joyella, is dynamic and believable. I just wish I could say the same about the relationship between the two lovers, Tared and Joyella. No where in the story did I feel a true connection between them that made their eventual loving relationship believable to me. I was disappointed when Joyella gave up everything—her position among her people, her beliefs, and her religion—while Tared gained everything, including her heart, yet gave up nothing at all. Love means acceptance; a loving relationship means compromise. Tared failed to do both, so for me this story was less a romance and more a commentary on gender inequality in our society. However, the author’s vivid imagination and exciting storyline kept me reading until the very end, and I would give her next book a read.

Pagan Elements: fortune telling, stone reading

Cover (Rated 1-10): 5-The artwork is vague and left me with no clue to what I’d find under the cover.
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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Jun 5, 2010

Invisible Force by Carol Costa


PAGAN & PEN REVIEW

Title: Invisible Force
Author: Carol Costa
Buy Link
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal
Length:197
Pagan Elements: Yes
Reviewed by: Violet Harper



About The Book: The ghost of Janet D'Angelo returns to the house where she was murdered intent on finding her killer and solving the mystery surrounding the tragic disappearance of her teenage daughter. On the day of Janet's funeral, her daughter miraculously returns and tells the terrifying story of her abduction and the amnesia that ended when she saw the newspaper account of her mother's death. Janet soon realizes that her family is in grave danger and though her presence sometimes erupts into frightening displays of her unearthly power, she knows that she must channel her energy to untangle the web of greed and deception that led to her murder. Finding an unlikely ally in her flamboyant daughter-in-law, Janet searches for her killer, a person determined to destroy everything and everyone Janet loves.

The Review: Rarely does a novel bring tears to my eyes, but Carol Costa’s Invisible Force is one of those books. It isn’t a fast-paced mystery. It’s a woman’s examination of her life as much as it is a story about catching her murderer. Ms. Costa does a phenomenal job insinuating Janet into the reader’s heart. By the time the novel is finished and Janet is at peace, you’re ready to mourn her passing, too.

One of the biggest reasons I read mysteries sparingly is because the novels usually focus on the plot at the expense of the characters. This was never a problem with this novel. The cast of characters was brilliantly developed. When I finished reading, I felt I knew her family as well as Janet did, and I was a little disappointed to let them go. 

The plot developments weren’t overly surprising, but I was so wrapped up in Janet that it didn’t matter. I enjoyed experiencing this through her eyes, so even when my guesses turned out to be correct, I reacted the same way she did instead of feeling disappointment that I guessed the ending.

I highly recommend this book and I’m looking forward to reading other novels from this very talented author.

Pagan Elements: The story is told from the viewpoint of a spirit who must learn to embrace love in order to move to the next stage of her life. The concept of what an afterlife looks like was not addressed, but it wasn’t relevant to the story.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 7-It was attractive and appropriate to the novel, but could have gone with any number of stories.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

A Long, Hot, Delicious Slide by H.C. Brown


PAGAN & PEN REVIEW

Title:  A Long, Hot, Delicious Slide
Author:  H. C. Brown
Buy Link
Publisher:  Noble Romance Publishing
Genre: Contemporary erotica/Paranormal
Length: 43 pages
Other:  M/F-M/M
Pagan Elements: Yes
Reviewed by: Russ Allen



About The Book: The son of a millionaire, Cooper Merrick's life could not be better, except for his marriage and his father. To solve one problem would only increase the other.  Nevertheless he divorces his wife, Gillian, after both separately have sex with Troy, her tennis coach whom she brings home for a ménage a trois, and he decides he is gay.  He then comes out to his hot gym buddy, Jax Strand, who has lusted after Coop for years. After having sex they decide to pursue a relationship—but will that be possible after Coop discovers Jax's incredible secret? Will both of them survive the homicidal response of Coop’s father to their plans?  In the end will they find a way to live in both their worlds? [Edited from the Publisher’s Book Blurb, in part due to an error in that description].

The Review: This is a fairly average story with a few high points, some weaknesses, and one aspect that, had the author focused and expanded upon it, could have improved the whole.

On the plus side are the events leading to Cooper’s divorce from Gillian, which actually results from Coop’s realizing his true sexual orientation.  Though the gay sex portrayed in the story is typical to that in similar stories: impetuous; acrobatic; exaggerated; promiscuous; originating in lust but, in the case of Coop and Jax, becoming an expression of love; these incidents are well told and adequately erotic.  So too, the description of the developing relationship of Coop and Jax is among the best of the story, though the post-divorce Coop comes across  immature while Jax is clearly the adult.

The spectrum of the response of Coop’s father to his divorce, homosexuality, and decision to stay with Jax, from trying to kill them to approving of their relationship, stretches the imagination.

The most positive aspect of this story is its all too few glimpses into Jax as a gay Faerie [no pun intended] and his “Other World.”  If those parts had been expanded and elaborated upon, including a very open approach to sexual activity, the story would have been more interesting and well above average.

Pagan Elements: This story contains characters that are identified as “ Fae” and “Faerie,” and contains passages that reflect their reality and glimpses into “Other World.”

Cover (Rated 1-10): 3. The two men on the cover look younger than those portrayed in the story, and the expression on the face of one [not the Faerie] lacks any emotion despite the erotic setting. However, the fact that the other is a Faerie is conveyed by his wings suggesting that element of the story.  I am at a loss as to the reason for the title, and would probably not be drawn to the book by it or the cover illustration.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

The Curse of Albrecht Manor by Christopher C. Newman


PAGAN & PEN REVIEW

Title: The Curse of Albrecht Manor
Author: Christopher C. Newman
Author Site
Publisher: Dark Roast Press
Genre: Horror/Mystery/Paranormal
Length: 179 pgs.
Other: Forced Seduction/Rape/Voyeurism/M/F/F/F
Pagan & Pagan Elements: Yes
Reviewed by: Violet Harper



About The Book: The women of the Albrecht family are cursed! For nearly three hundred years the hex uttered by a witch being burnt at the stake has stalked them down the centuries. Priests, herbal women, and even Inquisitors have been brought in to stop it from driving the Albrecht daughters to sexual-induced madness on their twentieth birthday. Nothing has worked; not even an uprooting from their native Germany to America has stopped it. Soon it just became an unfortunate fact of life if you are a female Albrecht.
It is present-day and Baron Markus Albrecht nervously awaits his daughter Elsa’s twentieth birthday. For a year he has searched for someone willing and able to halt the hex from driving his daughter as insanely mad as his sister, Franziska. Four days before her birthday he finds Noah Ravenswood, a practicing wizard and learned occultist. Noah, armed with hereditary mystical training by his mother, and Doctor Sarah Bookings his associate, he travels to southern Ohio to do battle with the Albrecht Curse.

But who or what is Noah really fighting? Is it truly a hex or perhaps a power-play by one of the Albrecht sons? Could it be the angry and distrustful Maximilan Albrecht, the eldest son and inheritor of the vast Albrecht Estates? Could it be the playboy Hans Albrecht, trying to dethrone his older brother and wrest control for himself? Can Noah and Sarah unravel the mystery before they become embroiled in the family politics, carnal activities, and deadly games at Albrecht Manor?

The Review: The story started out so promising. It seemed a little like The Dresden Files with the wizard man who dedicated his life to using his paranormal abilities to save people. After establishing some plot elements, the story degenerates in several aspects.

The writing style seems a little off. I kept trying to figure out if the writer was an American trying to sound British or an Englishman trying to sound like an American. I do like both styles, but not when cobbled together and not for characters that are American. I also don’t understand the heavy emphasis on the Albrecht’s German ancestry. If the family has lived in the US since before the Civil War, it is highly unlikely any of them would speak German, especially as a first language, or insist on using archaic aristocratic titles. Adding in the British butler and the French maid to a house in Ohio were either a failed attempt at humor or an overly clichéd casting of characters.

Additionally, all of the sex scenes were disturbing, but each for a different reason. Noah ‘forces’ his lover’s legs apart in a scene that is supposed to be romantic. Sarah’s voyeuristic experience ends with her giving head to the elder Albrecht who has children older than her, all in an effort to stop him from telling Noah, her boss, that she was watching two people have sex. I fail to see why Noah would care that she was watching.  During the scene, she describes trying not to vomit while the rest of the descriptors indicate that she is aroused. The first element necessarily cancels out the second for the reader. 

There is nothing remotely erotic about any of the sex scenes, though that may have been by design since most of them have their roots in evil. Some of them were downright disgusting. It would have been a much better story without the gory details.The best parts of the novel were those told through Noah’s eyes. The point of view shifts several times, which is fine, though it could have been a much stronger story if it hadn't. Noah disappears for so much of the novel that the reader forgets he exists He’s supposed to be the hero, the reader’s window into the story, but he ends up being an impotent and irrelevant tool.  Overall, I was very disappointed by something that could have been a great story.

Pagan Elements: Noah Ravenswood is a Pagan with paranormal powers. He uses protective charms and prayers to the gods/goddesses regularly during his cases where he helps people who are the victims of demons, curses, incubi, etc. Noah is a person modeled after Harry Dresden, and so worthy of respect for his adherence to his Pagan ideals. This added to the disappointment of the story because it had so many good Pagan elements.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 4-There’s nothing about it that would make me pick up the novel, but it does fit the storyline.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Heartsong by Allison Knight

                                                    PAGAN & PEN REVIEW


Title: Heartsong
Author: Allison Knight
Buy Link 
Publisher:  Champagne Books
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 248
Other: M/F
Reviewed by: Violet Harper



About The Book: Desperate and proud, Rhianna ap Brynn Ffrydd, a Welsh princess, is captured by a hated Englishman, Baron Garrett deShay, an agent of Edward I of England. Despite the passion he arouses in her, Rhianna must find a way to return home to her younger half sister, whom she's raised since birth. Garrett, emotionally scarred but intent on gaining the respect of his monarch by surrendering a member of Welsh aristocracy, fights an overwhelming attraction and the need to protect this woman, despite the charge of witch that hangs over her head. Can the two lovers conquer the cruelties awaiting them and their own natural animosity, to accept a forever kind of love?

The Review: There is something about historical romances set in the U.K. before it was united that speaks to my soul. The first pages of Heartsong describe a typical conflict—a Welsh princess is hiding from an invading English lord in a cave, protecting her younger brother who is heir to the kingdom. The plot is dramatic, but not original. Rhianna and Garrett are separated by a number of barriers, first because they are enemies and she is his captive. After they fall in love, all the usual things happen. Her brothers come to rescue her. Garrett sends her away to hide her. Someone bad tells Rhianna that Garrett has died.  She’s pregnant, etc. 

Because the characters are so well developed, it doesn’t really matter that there are no surprises. I enjoyed my time with both Rhianna and Garrett. Ms. Knight’s friendly writing style allowed me to experience the highs and lows with them. The romantic elements were tasteful and heartfelt. Overall, I recommend this story to anyone who loves a good, old-fashioned romance.

Pagan Elements: At one point, Garrett’s enemies try to have Rhianna declared a witch.  A bishop comes to declare her innocence. Besides a respect for life and the use of herb for healing, there isn’t anything Pagan about it.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 9-The eyes in the sky hovering over the castle caught and held my interest. I would have picked this up in a heartbeat based on the cover.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.