Grace Under Fire by Misa Buckley

March 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment

GRACE
Grace Under Fire by Misa Buckley
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (22 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grace McKenna wakes up to find the world in danger – the sky is on fire and the only man who knows how the global satellite system works is languishing in a mental institute. Sent by the director of Global Solutions, she discovers a man largely forgotten by society, a man whose powers intrigue her.

Breaking Benedict Thomas out of the institute might be as crazy as he’s alleged to be, but someone is lying and Grace is determined to find out whom. Especially since those lies have put the entire world in danger…

What could very well be the end of the world is the perfect time to take risks. If it doesn’t happen now another chance might never present itself.

I can’t imagine a more electrifying opening sentence than this one: “The sky was on fire.” As soon as I read it I couldn’t wait to see what Ms. Buckley planned to do with her characters and the dying world that no one else has been able to save. The descriptions of what happens to a society that knows there may not be any days left for them after this one were as chilling as they were intriguing.

It’s difficult to discuss my criticism of this piece without revealing spoilers, but the scenes that earned it a sensual rating felt out of place when compared to the tone of the rest of the plot. Either section would have made a compelling short story on its own, but attempting to bind a thrilling science fiction mission with what happens later on never quite gelled for this reader. I did not sense much chemistry between the individuals involved in those scenes, and that made it difficult for me to understand certain interactions between them.

The fast-paced plot kept me interested from beginning to end. Just enough information about Global Solutions and the backgrounds of the characters is provided to explain what’s happening. There were a few details I would have preferred to have more information on, but none of it is strictly necessary in order to understand what Grace is trying to do. Leaving certain questions unanswered also means that there is space for a sequel to this piece. While I don’t know if Ms. Buckley is planning to write it, I would be quite interested in revisiting these characters in the near future.

Grace Under Fire is a solid tale that left me wishing for more. This is a good choice for anyone in the mood for a quick, satisfying read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham

March 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment

SARAH
For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (179 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Alexander, Earl of Thorne, thought he finally had found the woman of his dreams. But when Sarah fled just weeks after their wedding, his world came crashing down. Five years later, he has given up hope of ever finding her, until a freak accident strands him in a remote Yorkshire village where she is hiding.

Sarah dared to hope she was finally safe. But when her husband is thrust back into her life, she fears her dark secrets and the fact that she has a son will come to light. Though her heart longs to reclaim the love they once shared, Sarah rejects Alexander’s offers of reconciliation. But fate is not so easily thwarted…

Forced from their home by a flood, Sarah and her child have no choice but to accept Alexander’s hospitality in her former home. Yet with each passing day, the risk of discovery grows, threatening to drive Sarah from Alexander’s life forever. Is their love strong enough to triumph over the secrets of the past? Or will life’s cruel forces finally tear them apart?

Statham’s For Love of Sarah will prove completely pleasing to fans of the classic romance genre, easy-to-sympathize with heroine, and the backdrop English culture and countryside.

Sarah, Countess of Thorne, leaves her home -and husband – by dark of night and we are immediately intrigued. Why does she depart? For she does not seem merely faithless, but regretful. Rather a lot of backstory slows the start… but we get a clear view of the husband, Alexander’s perception of events. He married a faithless wife and seems, indeed on the brink of finding her.

Sarah is surely in the right, but we cannot be sure! I found myself impatient to discover what drove Sarah to depart. The easy answer, another man, seems incorrect. Immediate events rather abruptly change what we might expect. Indeed, we readers are both surprised by events and continually intrigued by what must have really happened! And although this rather makes it sound like an action novel, indeed Statham’s elegant turn of phrase is true to the genre and this is a classic romance in every way imaginable.

“Without a word, Sarah turned away and left the room. Closing the door quietly in her wake, she stood with her back pressed to the dark panel. She had never expected to see her husband again, and finding him forcefully brought back into her life resurrected emotions she thought to have died many years ago. Fear that her secrets would now be brought to the forefront made her tremble…”

You see how soundly Statham has hooked us and keeps us reading!

There is some measure of complexity to events, partly due to changing point of views too frequently, but apart from that one quibble, this is a very interesting and unpredictable romance. The quality of the writing and the very engaging characters make this ultimately a very satisfying read: and those particular fans of the English Historical romance will be very pleased.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Green Rose by Stephanie Burkhart

March 6, 2014 by 6 Comments

Cover_The Green Rose

The Green Rose by Stephanie Burkhart
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Length: Full (201 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Poppy

On the continent of Gaia, evil is brewing. Turncoat wizard, Balthyser, kidnaps the kings of Dahaka and Tapin. He wants the green rose, a source of powerful magic.

Princess Sonia of Tapin is forced to hunt down the rose in exchange for her father’s life. It’s the ultimate betrayal of Gaia’s peace, but she has no choice if she wants to save her father.

Prince Ivánstan of Dahaka accompanies her on the journey. Both face challenges and obstacles that test their strength of character during the hunt for the rose. Dare Sonia put her trust and faith in a man she hardly knows to secure Gaia’s peace or will the continent’s harmony be shattered forever?

Well written and engaging, The Green Rose is a book fans of fantasy and romance should enjoy.

I enjoyed the characters in this story once I had them sorted. We meet several during the battle scene at the start, and a few felt similar, so it took me a moment to remember who was who. I loved that the hero and heroine weren’t enemies or at odds with one another. There are days I get so tired of reading about characters who do nothing but fight until they fall into bed. The conflict here was external and appreciated by me.

Sonia and Ivan have a quest, of course, as no fantasy is complete without one. During this time they learn to trust and like each other, and eventually fall in love. There are rules about them being able to marry, and that does intrude a bit on their happiness, but the story is ultimately about them finding what they need to save their world.

Ms. Burkhart is quite a good writer. I read this book quickly and was completely engaged. I don’t think I put it down for more than a few minutes at a time because, while it may not be nail-bitingly exciting, I cared quite a lot about our characters and wanted to see things through to the end. The author does a wonderful job creating characters we care about and her world building, while not extensive, is well done. Die hard epic fantasy fans may not fully engage here, but those of us who are reading for the story and the people in it will enjoy The Green Rose.

Stephanie Burkhart is fast becoming a “must buy” author for me. I’ve yet to read a story by her that I haven’t enjoyed.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen

March 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment

UNDER
Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (416 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

London 1957. In a bid to erase her past and build the family she yearns for, Sophie Schofield accepts a wedding proposal from ambitious British diplomat, Lucien Grainger. When he is posted to New Delhi, into the glittering circle of ex-pat high society, old wounds begin to break open as she is confronted with the memory of her first, forbidden love and its devastating consequences.

The suffocating conformity of diplomatic life soon closes in on her. This is not the India she fell in love with ten years before when her father was a maharaja’s physician, the India of tigers and scorpions and palaces afloat on shimmering lakes; the India that ripped out her heart as Partition tore the country in two, separating her from her one true love. The past haunts her still, the guilt of her actions, the destruction it wreaked upon her fragile parents, and the boy with the tourmaline eyes.

Sophie had never meant to come back, yet the moment she stepped onto India’s burning soil as a newlywed wife, she realised her return was inevitable. And so begins the unravelling of an ill-fated marriage, setting in motion a devastating chain of events that will bring her face to face with a past she tried so desperately to forget, and a future she must fight for.

A story of love, loss of innocence, and the aftermath of a terrible decision no one knew how to avoid.

When Sophie’s father takes a job working at the Maharajah’s palace in India, she’s ready for the adventure to begin. Little does she expect she’ll meet the love of her young life and that everything will change for her in a moment’s notice. What do you do when a spur of the moment indulgence sets the course of your future?

Sophie is a very flawed character, but that only makes her more interesting. She’s young, she’s bored, she’s a bit selfish, and she’s conflicted. Basically, she’s everything any young woman might be. It’s the way she handles her flaws that makes her so wonderful, however. To cure her boredom, she looks for adventure. To repent for her selfishness, she admits it to herself and seeks to be better. That she keeps finding herself in less than happy circumstances only gives her more chance to grow and show what she’s made of. She is a unique and fascinating character who makes you want to follow her around to see what will happen next.

I loved that this novel alternated between Sophie’s two residences in India, even if on occasion it took me a minute to figure out whether we were in the 1940’s or the 1950’s. The historical aspect was present and accounted for, but you also weren’t hit over the head with a million historical details either. You’re given enough to know where you are, when you are, and what’s going on at the time. It was a nice balance.

Under the Jeweled Sky is a love story of epic proportions, covering every love a young girl could ever have. A combination of first love, parental love, and so much more as you travel through ten years of Sophie’s life. Beautifully written and set in an exotic location only adds to the wonder that is this novel. I’d highly recommend Under the Jeweled Sky simply for the historical aspect, but the forbidden romance she shares with Jag raised the enjoyment level for me.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Lord Love a Duke by Renee Reynolds

March 5, 2014 by 2 Comments

KE
Lord Love a Duke by Renee Reynolds
The Lords of Oxford Book One
Publisher: Rock Creek Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (326 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Jonas Leighton, Duke of Dorset, needs to find a husband for his spirited sister before she drives him insane. He hastily organizes a house party with a guest list that includes a wide-range of potential suitors, but unfortunately for the duke, his sister, Lady Miranda, has no desire to enter a union yet. Instead, her agenda for the dreaded party calls for the help of her closest friend, Lady Juliet Quinn, to thwart and confound her brother’s plans by orchestrating a series of pranks meant to humiliate and confound him . . . if only he would cooperate and be the victim.

Someone at the house party is in a marriage-minded way, despite his best intentions otherwise: the duke himself. He has secretly admired Lady Juliet for several years now, but she is off limits in many ways; not only is she friend to Miranda, she is also the sister of his close friend, Charles Quinn, Earl of Bristol. Perhaps the biggest obstacle is the tiny problem that Lady Juliet has vowed to avoid marriage, wanting no part of the typical unions of their set based on convenience, money, or titles and lands.

With nothing at the party going according to anyone’s carefully laid plans, and most of the guests participating in their own plots and schemes, the final prank yields even more surprises. Whatever is a duke to do?

Lord Love a Duke is the first book in the Regency-based Lords of Oxford series, stories about the lives and loves of a group of five peers of the realm who met at university and formed a fast and lasting friendship.

A silly prank will have some serious consequences.

Jonas only wants what is best for his sister and to him that means seeing her happily married, but she has other plans that don’t include marriage, at least not yet. I thought Miranda’s logic was flawed. Miranda wants Jonas to stop interfering with her life and let her make her own decisions. Instead of sitting down and talking with him like an adult, she decides to play all sorts of childish and humiliating pranks on him. I found it very surprising that Juliet would agree to help Miranda. Juliet is a much more serious woman than Miranda. Rather than going along with Miranda’s schemes, I would have thought she would have tried to talk her friend out of them. However, I will say that Miranda’s pranks made for some hilarious moments throughout the novel. When the final prank goes horribly wrong, Juliet finds herself in a situation that will change her life forever.

Juliet and Jonas are definitely an interesting couple to watch. They have admired each other for years, but have kept their distance for several reasons. Juliet and Jonas try to convince themselves that they are satisfied being friends, but the house party keeps them in close contact with each other. I really enjoyed their teasing banter. Juliet and Jonas are perfectly suited to each other, and I could easily picture them spending their lives together. As they spend more time together, their feelings for each other intensify and it isn’t long before others begin to notice. One of Miranda’s pranks puts Juliet in a rather compromising position that threatens to destroy Juliet and Jonas’ chance for happiness. Can another prank help Juliet and Jonas confess their true feelings?

I really enjoyed reading Lord Love a Duke. Miranda’s antics are very amusing, and Juliet and Jonas’ romance is touching. Their happy ending is well deserved and absolutely beautiful. Fans of historical romance would do well to pick up a copy of Lord Love a Duke today.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Midsummer Solstice by J.L. Wells

March 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment

SOLSTICE
Midsummer Solstice by J.L. Wells
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (201 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Set amongst the Cornish landscape, rich in myths and legends of the sea; a magical tale of romance, intrigue and love.

When Naida’s mother dies she is forced to escape from London before her stepfather arranges a marriage for her. She arrives at Old Moorstone Farm and stays with the Tregartha family. Concealing her own mysterious secrets, the quiet backwater she hoped would be her refuge, holds sinister tensions.

Ivor Tregartha informs Naida that his wife Marianne is an invalid. Soon Naida realises the woman is far more disturbed than she was led to believe. She appears terrified of her daughter Lowenna.

Naida meets a handsome fisherman who tells her many mystical stories of Cornwall, of the white witch Lilith and the Druid festival of Midsummer eve. She finds she is falling in love.

Eventually her past catches up with her. This compromises her new found friendships and sets in motion a series of consequences, kidnapping, danger and ill fated love.

On her deathbed, Naida’s mother reveals the skeleton in the family closet. After the funeral Naida runs away from her Cypriot stepfather and stepbrother to seek a better life. In Cornwall the Tregartha’s offer her a room and a job and take her into their family circle.

Howard, a family friend, sharpens his wit at Naida’s expense turning her into a spitting tiger. The Tregartha’s also consider Howard to be one of the family, but their daughter Lowenna has a teenage crush on the older man and jealousy rears its ugly head.

The strain of the hot summer and the tension within the Tregartha family bring many different emotions to the surface. Naida’s nerves are stretched even further when her stepbrother appears to drag her home. Her Cypriot stepfather has arranged a marriage for her with his elderly friend. In his world the father has the final say to the disposal of his daughter and Naida wonders how she can escape. Must she continue running forever?

When younger I used to love the hazy, lazy days of summer filled with sunshine and not a lot to do. This book brought back those memories. Naida wanders through the summer not knowing what the next day will bring. Every time she thinks she has her thoughts straight, another problem rears its head. Midsummer Solstice has a little bit of mystery, a tiny (very tiny) bit of violence, fear, jealousy and love. Good mixture and a lovely read. Not a startling book or one full of excitement, but that’s probably because I kept thinking of those long lost sunny days. I enjoyed reading about this small corner of England and the people who live there.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Highland Sunrise by Christine Young

March 4, 2014 by 13 Comments

SUNRISE
Highland Sunrise by Christine Young
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (174 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dandelion

He Made Her An Offer…

Life has thrown Christel McClellan some experiences that could have devastated a less determined woman. Beautiful, self-assured and fiercely independent, she is trying to forget the loss of her stillborn child. But is the child alive?

She Couldn’t Deny…

Life is carefree for Ryder MacLaren who loves to see what is on the other side of the sunrise. Laird of Clan MacLaren, he is wealthy, handsome and happily unencumbered…until stunning Christel McClellan enters his life. When he hears her story, he believes the child she thought dead has been sold to a wealthy buyer.

I began reading this story expecting another typical regency romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t! From the end of the first chapter, it was one exciting thing after another.

The heroine, Christel, is attacked by a nobleman who wanted to marry her for her money. She flees to a nunnery and then to an isolated castle owned by Ryder, the man she has just become engaged to, but who isn’t currently present. Once he returns home, the story became a terrifying tale of them trying to find and do away with the man who was looking for her.

I loved the rapport between the two main characters. Although at times they both struggled to find the right words to explain their feelings for each other, somehow they managed. They both loved the other and so over time it became easier. Both were also very independent and that caused a little friction between them. However, Ryder would typically just shake his head and go with the flow. There were a huge number of sex scenes, and I think this story would have stood alone quite well without so many (there were times they did nothing to forward the plot, but seemed added just to have a sex scene), but they didn’t detract from the plot either.

There were so many other fascinating and fun characters in the story: her sister, her cousins, their husbands, her aunt, the Duchess. Reading about all the things they attempted and succeeded in doing was really fun. They were not the typical regency “tonnish” people of the days. This made this story much more fun.

And of course, although there was a lot of fighting, terror, murder and mayhem, the story has a very satisfying ending.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Cyn by Mary O’Dell

March 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment

CYN
Cyn by Mary O’Dell
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (200 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Beautiful, blonde, and only eight years old, Cynthia Tabu Potter carries within her a dark seed passed down by her elders. Young Molly McAdams, gradually drawn in by her friend’s intense and sensual nature, follows her down a path that comes near to destroying herself and both their families.

In the best tradition of the dark southern tale, we meet a gaggle of diverse and colorful characters—lovable, alcoholic Benny; the voluptuous and permissive Midge; Ryan the rigid Baptist deacon and Clara his timid, little wife; along with Cyn’s sisters, all of whom are named for perfumes. As all of the characters are drawn into the vortex of this charismatic and intense child, we come to realize that Cyn’s grandmother, witchy-woman Mumz Potter, is still in the wings, running the show.

Will Molly be able to escape in time to save herself and the others, or will Cyn win out?

What does it mean to be a good person? Is it something one discerns by the absence of harmful choices or the presence of helpful ones?

Sometimes dark secrets hide behind masks of cheerfulness. What initially attracted me to Cyn was Mumz Potter’s fear that someone’s fate could be determined by decisions made by their ancestors decades earlier. The best scenes gently brush against this idea as Cyn and Molly slowly transition away from childhood.

Most of the people in this tale are wonderfully nuanced individuals, but there were a few secondary characters who were written in such a stereotypical manner that they had trouble fitting into the narrative. Given everything this book has to say about the consequences of ignorance I found it a little odd that those characters were treated that way. It’s difficult for me to say anything more about these discrepancies without venturing into spoiler territory, but this is something that I would have loved to see explored in greater depth as the story progresses.

The smooth, descriptive writing style made it impossible for me to put this tale down. Ms. O’Dell captures the social, religious, and political mores of a rural, southern community in the 1950s so precisely that at times I felt as if I were watching a movie inside of my mind. She doesn’t shy away from characters whose opinions would be offensive in today’s world, but neither does she assume that everyone who lived in that time and place shared those prejudices.

Cyn is a novel that will haunt me for a long time. This is a great choice for anyone who is in the mood to get lost in another world for a few hundred pages.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost

March 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment

TWICE
Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost
A Night Prince Novel
Publisher: Avon – an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (269 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges…

Leila’s psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn’t sure what the future holds. If that weren’t enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she’s also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won’t admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity…

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

The experience of reading this book is like being a dust bunny in the path of a super suction vacuum cleaner – once I got started, reality fell away and the only thing that existed was Vlad and Leila. There was no escape.

I had read Once Burned, the first book that introduced me to Vlad and Leila, and I was astounded as to the originality and the quality of writing that took place in that novel. It ended with a not so happy type of cliff hanger so I was both cautious and curious to start Twice Tempted. I didn’t know where Ms. Frost was going to take her characters – further estrangement, using that as one of the plot conflicts, or advancing their romance to the next step, fighting and screaming all the way. I’m thrilled to report that this story is written just as powerfully with an almost absolute perfect balance of suspense, drama, intense passion and a delightful and thoroughly captivating culmination of their courtship and romance.

Of course, Vlad is not a typical hero. In fact, he is a cold blooded killer. His sense of justice is extreme and his methods of punishment are medieval and brutal and in the beginning Leila was horrified that he wielded his weapons with so much gusto. The hero is a very scary man. However in this book, told through Leila’s eyes, he’s so much more. In fact, that is how this novel is told – through Leila’s first person point of view and Ms. Frost never missed a beat. Usually I find first person POV hard to get into. Not so with Twice Tempted. I was solidly in Leila’s head but because the author has such a strong command of dialogue, expressions, descriptions and mood setting, it was a smooth yet commanding read and I reveled in it. The author used the secondary characters to give Leila the clues she needed to understand what was happening or what was about to. When she understood, I understood. The author’s expertise in crafting her characters in this book was clear and bold.

If readers missed the first book, Once Burned, they won’t get too lost in reading this sequel. Ms. Frost did play catch up at certain points to make sure a new reader understood the ramifications of certain choices made by the characters in a few scenes. Since I’d forgotten some of the finer points, it was a good refresher for me and I think just right for new readers too. One thing is for sure, some of the secondary characters mentioned in both Once Burned and Twice Tempted were from the other series that Ms. Frost is famous for. I’ve never read them but after my experience with these two novels, I’m going to be looking into getting all the back books. I can only hope my purse doesn’t scream OUCH! too loud since it looks like there are quite a few. If the quality is anything like reading Vlad and Leila’s story, I’m going to be a very contented reader – and broke.

The hardest thing about writing this review is avoiding the spoilers. There are so many things I’d love to share! I’ll give hints: the explosion, the betrayal, the villain, the cool thing about the flowers, the boat, the explanation of ghouls and what happens to poor Maximus. And the rats! Oh good gravy, the rats! That’s just for starters. Twice Tempted is simply amazing because it’s meaty, diverse, enthralling and intense and is a real page flipper.

Twice Tempted blew me away and everything about the heroine totally rocked! Yes, I liked the dynamics between Vlad and Leila, and Vlad is one sexy, arrogant and complex hunk, but Leila’s character impressed me 100%. There were three times that the author could have written her actions as a typical cliché but instead she surprised me, pleased me and garnered my respect. The paragraph of introspection where Leila ruminated over life and living was a breath of fresh air and what came afterwards pushed all of my happy buttons. Twice Tempted is going on my keeper shelf just like its predecessor, Once Burned. I know there is one more book coming because of what was discovered in the last chapter of Twice Tempted and I guarantee it’s going to be an auto-buy. Ms. Frost is now on my short list of must read authors. She’s earned it with these Night Prince novels. I’m very happy to recommend this book, and indeed this series, to all paranormal romance fans. It’s high caliber writing.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Champion of Sherwood by Laura Strickland

March 3, 2014 by 3 Comments

CHAMPION
Champion of Sherwood by Laura Strickland
The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy Book Two
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (220 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Dandelion

When Gareth de Vavasour, nephew of the Sheriff of Nottingham, is captured by the outlaws of Sherwood Forest and held for ransom, he knows he will be fortunate to escape with his life. Amid the magic and danger that surround him, he soon realizes his true peril lies in the beautiful dark eyes of Linnet, the Saxon healer sent to tend his wounds.

Granddaughter of Robin Hood, Linnet has always known she is destined to become a guardian of Sherwood Forest, along with her sister and a close childhood companion. She believes her life well settled until the arrival of Gareth. Then all her loyalties are tested even as her heart is forced to choose between love and the ties of duty, while Sherwood declares its own champion.

Well written, with a fascinating and unusual premise, Champion of Sherwood grabbed my attention from page one. It is the story of Robin Hood’s Daughter and grandchildren and the mysterious and magical Sherwood Forest. There are still problems with the Sheriff of Nottingham and his men. The people are still being victimized, and are fighting back. This leads to many of their homes being burned and villagers slain.

There is a circle of three who are guardians in Sherwood Forest. The magic there keeps them safe and they do what they can to protect the people. When they are no longer able to provide this safety, the guardianship passes on. The next three will be the two daughters of the daughter of Robin Hood and her husband, the present guardians, Lark and Linnet, twin sisters. The third party will be a young man named Falcon. His father has been the third of the guardians till now.
The villagers raid a group of the sheriff’s men, returning from collecting taxes and kill all but one, who is the nephew of the sheriff. They hold him and plan to ask for ransom for him.

As I read I became so involved with the story, I found it difficult to put down the book. How they fight to protect the village, and how they resolve the situation, if only temporarily, is done so well, you have no doubts as to the magic surrounding them.

I was with the every moment while the story progressed. This was similar yet much different than the Robin Hood story. It is different in that the nephew becomes an important part of the solutions.

I really loved this story and would highly recommend it. I plan on finding book one in the trilogy and then the next ones as they are written. Definitely a series and an author to watch.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,
Next Page»