Category Archives: Reviews

Reviews of romance books with a fair look at positives and negatives of each book.

Review: For 100 Nights

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Review: For 100 NightsFor 100 Nights (100 Series, #2) by Lara Adrian
on January 16th 2017
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“At times in these past few months we’ve been together, I’ve wondered if there are other scars he doesn’t allow me to see. I know there must be, because the broken parts of me recognize the fractures in him, even if he hasn’t permitted me close enough to touch them yet.”

FINAL DECISION:  A middle book that, for me, exceeded the first book in the series. Avery and Nick are navigating their broken parts in this series.  As Avery’s demons recede in this book, we are given an introduction to Nick’s secrets that end in a cliffhanger revelation.

THE STORY:  In the first book in the series FOR 100 DAYS, Avery Ross, struggling artist, agrees to apartment sit in a luxury apartment building.  There, she meets Dominic Baine, billionaire. The two begin a relationship although Avery is keeping secrets.  She allows Nick to believe that she is wealthy as well; Avery also is hiding the fact that her mother is in jail for killing her husband who raped Avery when she was sixteen.  After Avery’s secrets are revealed in FOR 100 DAYS, Nick demands that Avery give into him with complete trust for 100 Nights.  And thus this book begins. The two are now living together and Avery and Nick are drawing closer together although both still have secrets.

OPINION: I would like to get a preliminary matter out of the way.  This book is part of a trilogy which is about the same couple. I don’t take complaints about this fact seriously. Adrian is certainly allowed to construct her story in that manner.  There is nothing hidden about the construction of this story so potential readers should know what to expect.

This book picks up right where the prior book ends. Nick and Avery are engaged in a relationship and are now living together. Avery continues to have secrets from Nick. As the book proceeds, Avery gains in confidence and strength as a woman as this book continues until the revelation at the end.  She is now strong enough to be her own person.

In this book Nick becomes more concrete as a person and less mysterious.. His secrets begin to be unraveled as Avery draws closer to him and his world. This book humanizes him as he begins to reveal his emotional attachment to Avery and as his past is disclosed. In the first book, Nick appears as the stereotypical romantic billionaire with a dark and mysterious past, but in this book he truly gains his humanity as the story moves towards its conclusion.

This book continues the intense, sexy relationship between Nick and Avery but the story contains a sense of drama and plot moving forward. This book ended far too soon for me and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

If the first book of the series was about Avery and her problems, this book ends that arc and begins an exploration of Nick’s past.  It constitutes the connection between these characters and I expect that the final book in this trilogy will finally expose Nick’s secrets.

I liked this book better than the first in the series because I did feel that this book developed these characters further and because I can now see the outlines of where this story is going. My only reservation is that I have been burned before by these romance in various parts stories. I reserve the right to downgrade all these books if the ending is bad.  Because each of these books depends upon the other, each book is not complete in and of itself, no matter how much I liked the first two books, if it doesn’t end well, I will not be satisfied with what I have read so far.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book ends on the cliffhanger as the book is part of a trilogy.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  FOR 100 NIGHTS is the second book in the 100 trilogy about Avery and Nick.  The trilogy is all about their relationship and thus the books should be read together and in order.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: When All The Girls Have Gone

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Review: When All The Girls Have GoneWhen All The Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: ,
Published by Berkley on November 29th 2016
Genres: Commentary, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 304
Goodreads
three-stars

FINAL DECISION: This is a nice romantic suspense but not spectacular.  I liked the characters and there was good action but I probably wouldn’t pick it up again.

THE STORY:  Charlotte Sawyer is a social director for a retirement community.  Charlotte is careful, caution and risk adverse. She was just ditched by her “perfect” fiance. She receives a key and a note from a friend of her stepsister and finds out that her stepsister’s friend just died under somewhat strange circumstances.  Her own stepsister is unreachable at a “tech-less” retreat and when Charlotte comes to see what the note and key are for, she meets Max Cutler.  Max is a private investigator and former-profiler who has come to Seattle after his divorce to build a new life. Max is looking into the death. He and Charlotte partner up to investigate what is going on. The two find themselves in danger.

OPINION:  I enjoyed this book while reading it, but I didn’t feel that it had the power and memorability of many of Krentz’s books.  The romance was good and the suspense aspect was interesting with lots of twists, but I didn’t walk away thinking I would want to read this book again.

I liked the characters of Max and Charlotte.  They are grounded people who are both rebuilding their lives.  I thought that they had a good rapport.  I did feel the relationship between them grew naturally out of their interactions. I also enjoyed that they are both flawed and there isn’t any big drama between them.

The suspense story was twisty and although much of the story was revealed during the book, there were still surprises.  Things were not what they seemed to be. As I mentioned, I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t a story that I loved so much I would return to it again.

WORTH MENTIONING:  I think this book appears to be the beginning of a series.  UPDATE: this book is the first of the Cutler, Sutter and Salinas series although it is not advertised as such.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  WHERE ALL THE GIRLS HAVE GONE is a standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3 stars.

three-stars

Review: Full Package

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Review: Full PackageFull Package by Lauren Blakely
Series: Holiday/Hammer #6
Published by Lauren Blakely Books on January 9th 2017
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 300
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION:  Enjoyable, sweet and funny friends to lovers romance.  I really liked these characters as people and their concerns and fears about losing their friendship felt real and I liked that they had problems but were not stupid.  Made me smile and sigh.

STORY:  Chase and Josie have been friends for years.  Chase has also had a thing for Josie for years but refuses to act upon it because he doesn’t want to destroy their friendship.  When Chase is looking for an apartment and Josie is looking for a roommate, the two decide to share an apartment.  The close quarters bring the two together, but how do friends become lovers and still remain friends at the end?

OPINION:  I found this story very enjoyable. For me, it is central that the characters maintain my interest.  Chase is a doctor and a genuine good guy.  But not too good a guy!  A doctor, he likes to entertain Josie with funny cases that come to him. I liked his humor, his good nature and his real desire to keep a relationship with Josie.

Josie is a baker who concentrates on desserts. As the book begins, she is online dating — even though she has been burned before.  She is quirky and very physical and just adorable (especially to Chase).

I appreciated that Chase and Josie were not stupid in their problems with one another.  I felt their real desire to keep their friendship. Their deep feelings for one another send them astray as they fear trying for something more because they risk the friendship that they have.  Their genuineness and honest deep feelings for one another made me accept even when these characters needed to talk to one another.  Fear of losing one another makes them both afraid to confess their feelings.

This book is about these characters.  There is not real external plot.

WORTH MENTIONING:  The book has a number of Josie’s recipes included.  Not only are they actual recipes, but Blakely uses them in a creative way to further the storyline of the book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  FULL PACKAGE is the sixth book in the series of books (unnamed by Blakely) that I’ve called the Holiday/Hammer series.  Each book can be read on its own, but there are connecting characters.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Tycoon

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Review: TycoonTycoon (The Knickerbocker Club, #0.5) by Joanna Shupe
Series: The Knickerbocker Club #0.5
Published by Zebra on February 23rd 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 102
Goodreads
four-stars

“Ted Harper never saw it coming. One minute, he was alone on the platform, and the next he’d acquired a wife.”

FINAL DECISION:  Enjoyable historical set in a period not often written about (America’s Guilded Age), this story kept my interest from the first word to the last.  These are places, people and times I haven’t read about before.

THE STORY:  Ted Harper is a self made man who has risen to own a major bank in New York City.  While on a train platform, he is approached and kissed by a woman who declares herself his wife.  Intrigued, Ted allows the woman to join him on the train. Clara Dobson is a shop girl who is on the run from men who are after during. Danger and mistrust hangs over these two who get to know one another on a train to Missouri.

OPINION:  This novella was an easy and incredibly interesting read. Taking place in a time and place not often depicted in romance novels.  The historical detail is interesting and informative without overwhelming the romance in the story.  Indeed, the characters themselves are truly products of their times, living their lives in the Guilded Age with concerns and problems different from the normal aristocrats.

Ted is a man who worked himself up from a farm to becoming a wealthy bank owner in New York.  He is a good, decent man who knows nothing but work because that is how he managed to change his life. His wealth makes him a target of swindler and cheat and thus trust comes hard to Ted.

Clara is a challenge to Ted’s worldview.  He is immediately suspicious of her and because she refuses to tell him what is threatening her, he doubts again and again her sincerity and yet he is attracted to her joy and fresh attitude toward life.  Clara is a shop girl (she works at the perfume counter at a department store).  A girl from a small town herself, she loves the big town of New York, but her life is now threatened so she is on the run.  Two days — and nights — spent in a private train car with Ted shows her his decency.

Yes, these two travel far in two days (emotionally) but it is a novella.  I thought the story was very well done especially in such a short format.

I loved how these two manage their difficulties and the plot is enough to keep the characters’ story moving.  I definitely will continue to read the other books in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: This novella is a breath of fresh air in a genre often too saturated with Regency misses.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  TYCOON is prequel novella to the Knickerbocker Club series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Gambled Away

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Review: Gambled AwayGambled Away: A Historical Romance Anthology by Joanna Bourne, Isabel Cooper, Rose Lerner, Jeannie Lin, Molly O'Keefe
Series: Lotus Palace #2.5, Into the Wild #3, Spymasters #5.5
on May 31st 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 600
Goodreads
four-stars

This is an anthology of five historical romance novellas all with a connection to gambling.  I found the collection uneven but I decided on a 4 rating because I absolutely loved two of the stories, and liked one.

ALL OR NOTHING by Rose Lerner: A regency romance, in this story Simon Radcliffe- Gould is an architect who needs someone to pose as his mistress so that he can get work done at a scandalous house party and allow him to avoid a former lover.  Maggie da Silva is in charge of a gambling den and wants Simon so she arranges to lose her favors to him one evening. She is happy to be his mistress but suffers some disappointment when she realizes he only wants her to pretend.

I honestly thought this novella was a bit of a mess.  There were too many issues: Simon has a former male lover who still wants him and Simon hasn’t dealt with his feelings either; Maggie is Jewish and is just discovering her own heritage that was suppressed in her family; Maggie’s friend with benefit and partner is off threatening their relationship and business; Maggie has a bad reputation and thus when Simon begins to think of a future with her, he knows his family will reject her.  For me, there was just too much going on in this book to be satisfying.  In addition, any romance that ends like a potential business deal rather than emotion isn’t satisfying. There isn’t really chemistry between Simon (who seems more emotionally connected with his friend and former lover) and Maggie. When Simon says in essence “I’ve been in love before and if things don’t work out, I will probably be in love again” it just doesn’t make me interested in the story of these two.  Rating: 1.5 stars.

THE LIAR’S DICE by Jeannie Lin: The book takes place during the Tang Dynasty in China. Lady Bai dreams of freedom from her role as an obedient daughter. Dressing in men’s clothing she visits a public tea garden where she witnesses a murder. A man she met there, Gao helps her investigate the crime where she confronts the possibility of her own brother’s involvement.

This is a story that I should not have liked.  More mystery than anything, the heroine and “hero” spend only a little time together. This is not a romance is a classical sense and I’m not even sure if it has a happy ending.  Despite or maybe because of this, I really loved this story.  Unique and fascinating because the heroine has a strength and determination that transcends the normal romantic desires.  The historical period is not one normally written about in the romance genre so I found it intriguing. The reactions and concerns of the characters felt real and well grounded in historical fact.  I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I certainly will after reading this one.  Warning: not a traditional HEA.  Rating: 4.5 stars.

RAISING THE STAKES by Isabel Cooper: This book takes place in California during the 1930s.  Sam is a survivor who cheats or plays cards of does whatever needs to be done in order to help her family back home.  She wins a flute in a card game which ends up summoning an elven warrior, Talathan. Sam decides to use Talathan’s abilities to help her swindle a crooked preacher in order to save her family’s farm.

This story suffers from its short length.  There are just too many questions that remain and these characters are not investigated enough to make this a satisfying read for me. The introduction of Talathan as an elf raises the question of who are his people and why is he there. I think if this was a longer story, the characters and situation have the possibility of being a really interesting story.  As it is, I was left wanting more.  Rating: 2.5 stars.

REDEEMED by Molly O’Keefe:  James Madison is a former Union doctor during the Civil War who has struggled since the war and what he saw.  His reaction has made him lose faith in himself and separated him from his work and those around him.  One night he ends up meeting Helen Winters who is being kept to sing in a birdcage. Whether she is a captive or something else is going on is something that James can’t seem to put aside.

This story is complicated and dark in many ways. The story captures the mood after the Civil War with bitter divisions remaining. Addiction, PTSD, grief, anger, desperation are all dealt with here in a raw and open manner. I especially loved how James and Helen acknowledge that their needs have the possibility of being the reason these two are attracted to one another — desperation and need rather than love. Never fear, however, because there is a happy ending that felt realistic and satisfying.  Rating: 4 stars.

GIDEON AND THE DEN OF THIEVES by Joanna Bourne: Georgian romance that takes place in London. Gideon Gage has traveled the world making his fortune and has returned to London to face the thieving gang and Lazarus, its crime lord, that has kidnapped his sister. During his quest, he meets Aimee Beauclerc, one of the gang.  Aimee fled from her home during the French Revolution and ended up being sold to Lazarus. She now appraises stolen goods. She agrees to help Gideon with his sister in order to protect her friends who are members of the gang from the man who is attempting to take Lazarus’s place.

I was amazed at how much detail, character development and plotline Bourne manages to get into this novella while making the story comprehensible and satisfying. Fans of her Spymaster series will get appearances by some of the characters from the other novels.  (Hawker! Hawker! Hawker!). At the same time, this book can be read completely on its own without needing information about those characters. I love how Bourne depicts characters with damage and flaws and shows them worthy of love.  This is combined with a unparalleled sense of place that is different from almost every other romance out there.  Rating: 4.5 stars.

four-stars

Review: Adored in Autumn

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Review: Adored in AutumnAdored in Autumn (Seasons Book 4) by Jess Michaels
Series: Seasons #4
Published by Passionate Pen on January 10th 2017
Genres: Historical
Pages: 213
Goodreads
four-stars

“He kissed her because he loved her. And he had never stopped loving her for one moment in all the years they’d been apart. Even when he wanted to. Even when he tried.”

FINAL DECISION: I love the cross-class story where the man is of the lower class. Here, there was a bit of angst, a bit of drama and I really liked that the characters knew the value of characters over title or privilege.

THE STORY:  Felicity, Viscountess Barbridge, killed her abusive husband in self-defense.  Now her secret is in the hands of her family’s enemy.  In order to track down the potential blackmailer, her brothers call in Asher Seyton, solicitor and financial advisor, to help with the financial investigation. Asher is the son of a servant and grew up with Felicity and her brother. Asher broke Felicity’s heart when after a kiss, he left her.  Now Felicity and Asher have to face their long ago feelings and the current threat on Felicity’s future.

OPINION: I love books with cross-class romances — especially ones where the man is of a lower class because it upends the normal trope.  Here, Felicity is an aristocratic woman, the daughter of an earl and Asher is the son of her father’s valet. The two were children together and friends (along with Felicity’s two older brothers). As Felicity grew up, however, an attraction grew between Felicity and Asher.  At her debut six years ago, the two had their first and last kiss as Asher left the next day.  Felicity married the Viscount who beat and abused her.  Now Asher has returned at Felicity brother’s request because Felicity is in danger.

In the prior book in the series, an enemy of the family has found out that Felicity killed her abusive husband in self-defense.  The potential blackmailer must be tracked down before the secret is revealed, ruining Felicity and her family.  This plot moves the story along, but the center of this book is the romance between Felicity and Asher.

Felicity is a woman who has closed herself off after her horrible marriage. Fear, disappointment, lack of trust in herself and others dominate her life now.  When Asher returns, Felicity begins to feel again and wonders if she can at least have a sexual relationship free from fear.

Asher and Felicity are good people who got torn apart by their class differences. Asher feels keenly the class differences.  I thought this book did a really good job of showing that even if Felicity *thinks* that the two of them were always equal, Asher’s reality was something different.

There is something very sweet and gentle about these characters together and yet their is definite heat in their relationship. I liked these characters quite a bit and the story is not dark or angst filled but rather is about two people working their way through past obstacles and finding a future together.

This is an enjoyable read and a fine conclusion to series as it wraps up the ongoing storylines and gives readers a look at all the characters coming together and solving the mysteries that have arisen.

WORTH MENTIONING: Everyone gets what they deserve in the end.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ADORED IN AUTUMN is the fourth and final book in the Seasons series. The romance in this book is self contained by there are continuing storylines that depend upon the prior books in the series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE:  I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

four-stars

Review: Wyoming Brave

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Review: Wyoming BraveWyoming Brave (Wyoming Men #6) by Diana Palmer
Series: Wyoming Men #6
Published by HQN Books on December 27th 2016
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 384
Goodreads
three-stars

FINAL DECISION:  A typical Palmer romance with an experienced hero who misjudges the sweet innocent heroine and then regrets it.  I liked this book but it doesn’t elevate Palmer’s formula but rather stays strictly within its boundaries.

THE STORY:  Ren Colter has closed himself off after his fiancee’s betrayal. Everyone is therefore surprised — even Ren — that he allows Meredith Grayling to stay at his ranch. Meredith is hiding from a stalker. Nervous and afraid, Meredith is dealing not only with her current threat but past abuse as well.  The alpha male feels his protective instincts go in overdrive over the innocent Meredith and her gentleness might soothe Ren’s battered soul.

OPINION:  I’ve read Palmer’s books for over thirty years. Her readers know that she has a formula for her books. Her characters often — and almost always in recent years — live in small western towns.  There is usually an experienced but romantically betrayed man who meets up with an inexperienced woman.  He mistakes her for experienced, treats her poorly, finds out the truth and then spends the rest of the book groveling.

I know what I’m getting in one of her novels and sometimes the characters make the story fantastic.  This book was just okay for me. The characters were nice — and even the hero wasn’t too jerky — but I didn’t feel that the characters expanded the formula nor were they so compelling that I thought — “wow!  I’m like to read this again”.

Enjoyable for the time I spent reading it and ultimately forgettable as a book.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book actually is a crossover book with Palmer’s Long, Tall Texans series with appearance by characters from that series.  Seeing characters that I’ve

CONNECTED BOOKS:  WYOMING BRAVE is the sixth book in the Wyoming Men series.  It can be read as a standalone although pretty much all of Palmer’s books are connected these days with characters appearing from different books and series.  This book is most closely connected with DEFENDER.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3 stars.

three-stars

Review: Commander in Chief

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Review: Commander in ChiefCommander in Chief (White House, #2) by Katy Evans
Series: White House Series #2
Published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform on January 5th 2017
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads
four-stars

“I don’t want to forget that for a little while, Matt Hamilton — forty-sixth president of the United States — was mine.”

FINAL DECISION:  I love Matt and Charlotte’s story which is incredibly romantic and at times feels like a political fairy tale but the story requires readers to read MR. PRESIDENT first. Necessary reading for those who read MR. PRESIDENT, this book concludes Matt and Charlotte’s story.

THE STORY:  This book begins two months after the events of MR. PRESIDENT.  Charlotte has tried to get over being in love with the President-Elect Matt Hamilton.  She knew when they began their affair that it would not last because Matt is dedicated to the well being of the country (one of the reasons she fell for him) and the assassination of his father has convinced him that he cannot have a relationship while being President.

Two months without Charlotte has made Matt realize that he cannot be without her.  At the same time, Charlotte knows that she doesn’t have the qualities needed in a First Lady.  But Matt is determined to convince her otherwise.

OPINION: I loved the first book in this series MR. PRESIDENT.  This book was not quite as good primarily because I liked the drama of Matt and Charlotte just falling in love.  In this book, the two of them have to decide what sacrifices they are willing to make to be together.

Both Charlotte and Matt have trepidation in actually committing to their relationship.  For Matt, it means possibly reliving the mistakes of his father who had been president himself, at times ignored his own family and ended up assassinated.  For Charlotte, it means being entirely visible to the public, her life and love open to the possible jackals waiting to attack.  She doesn’t know if she is strong enough to be the woman at Matt’s side.

This is the story of two people making their relationship work. There is never any real challenge to these two being in love and wanting to be together.  The question is a real one in the world — is love enough?

Honestly, however, this presidential romance is really more of a fairy tale. The politics, media and public is too accommodating and easy for the characters to navigate.  That doesn’t mean that I didn’t like the book, I certainly did.  But if you are looking at a realistic look at politics surrounding this couple, you won’t find it here.  Instead, this book is a romantic fairy tale.

The romance and fairy tale quality of this book is a good contrast to the current politics. I loved the intense and open romanticism of this book.  My only warning comment is that the book really requires the first book in the series (this is more like a part 2 rather than an independent book).

WORTH MENTIONING:  The one phrase I’m never going to be able to forget in this book is “big presidential c**k”.  That tells you want you need to know about the sensibilities of this book, you can make your own determination if this book is for you.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  COMMANDER IN CHIEF is the second book in the White House series.  This book continues the romance between Matt and Charlotte and is intended to be read after the first book.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars and 4.5 stars for both books together.

NOTE:  I received an ARC of this book in order to provide a review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

four-stars

Review: Waiting for an Earl Like You

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Review: Waiting for an Earl Like YouWaiting For an Earl Like You (Masters of Seduction, #3) by Alexandra Hawkins
Series: Masters of Seduction #3
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks on January 3rd 2017
Genres: Historical
Pages: 352
Goodreads
two-stars

FINAL DECISION:  This book was fine, but I never felt compelled to find out what happened.  The story moved too slowly to build up interest and the premise of twin switching without the heroine knowing the difference seemed too unlikely unless the men dressed identically all the time.

THE STORY: Justin Reeve Netherwood, Earl of Kempthorn nicknamed Thorn has a twin brother Gideon.  The two have been at odds for years. Now that Gideon has returned from his travels, a woman from their childhood has returned to their lives.  Miss Olivia Lydall has been friends with Gideon for years. When she seeks him out asking for advice, Gideon kisses her instead. What Olivia doesn’t know is that it is actually Thorn who is kissing her.  Thorn can’t tell her but intends on nudging her away from any potential interest in Gideon.  Unfortunately for Thorn, he wants her for himself but can’t tell her the truth.

OPINION:  The premise of this book interested me, but the execution left me finishing the book but having little interest in reading more.

The idea of a man impersonating his twin and falling for a woman while he becomes twisted in his own lies seemed intriguing as a premise.  But the execution of the story left me stopping and starting this book and instead of being wrapped up in the story, I started nitpicking it.  I never got past the idea that a grown man could impersonate his own twin brother again and again — while the two men were in the same place.  I kept thinking that either these men strangely dress identically as adults or the heroine must be incredibly unobservant.

I never could care very much about these characters. The idea of the reserved, brooding brother being in love with the woman who has a friendship with the reckless more open brother seemed interesting, but I didn’t like Thorn much for how he was entirely willing to impersonate his brother. He didn’t seem as heroic because it seemed that he had no good reason for doing so other than the fact that he and his brother have switched before.

This was an okay read.  The story itself was well written and there were some very funny moments, but it isn’t a book I would pick up again.

WORTH MENTIONING:  There are appearances by characters from the other books in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  WAITING FOR AN EARL LIKE YOU is the third book in the Masters of Seduction series.  I have not read any of the other books in the series. This book works fine as a standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 2 stars.

NOTE:  I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

two-stars

Review: Breath of Fire

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Breath of FireBreath of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles #2) by Amanda Bouchet
Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #2
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on January 3rd 2017
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 448
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“Harbinger of the end. Destroyer of realms.”

FINAL DECISION: Exciting and filled with adventure, BREATH OF FIRE represents the continued growth of Cat as she matures.  She and Griffith evolve both as a couple and in their dream of unifying the realms.  This book doesn’t conclude the story, but there is plenty new hear to keep readers more than satisfied.

THE STORY: In this second book of the Kingmaker Chronicles trilogy, Cat Fisa is running from her destiny. She has found the man she loves, a non-magical warlord, Griffith, who believes deeply in her, but the magical Cat has kept a secret.  She is subject to a prophecy that Cat believes means that she will destroy the world. As secrets are revealed, the characters begin their journey towards what might be the fulfillment of the prophecy.

OPINION: A world with magic and Gods that remains incredibly human, this second installment of the Kingmaker Chronicles finally reveals much of Cat’s past. Readers of the first book will know that Cat has gained the favor of the Gods and has incredible (if inconsistent) magic.  She falls in love with the non-magical Griffith who is immune from magic and conquered the realm of Sinta (one of the three realms).  Now the two have forged a partnership and Griffith sees the possibility of building a better world with Cat by his side.  As PROMISE OF FIRE ended, Cat still had secrets she was keeping.

Cat’s past and her secrets are revealed in this book.  Finally readers can understand her journey. Cat remains selfless, reckless and an amazing fighter. In this book, she matures with the support of Griffith.  I love their relationship because Griffith is entirely willing to be by Cat’s side and support her even if he struggles with his own need to protect her.  Even better, he is willing to stand by her while she learns to lead rather than taking the lead himself. Griffith is a rare and amazing alpha male character who is not threatened by a strong woman but rather is willing to be anything that she needs.

Cat remains her prickly, sarcastic, cynical self in this book even as the shell around her has broken as to Griffith.  Readers can be assured (mini-spoiler) that this book doesn’t do the expected by breaking these two apart during this book in order to create another romantic arc.  Instead, these characters go deeper into their connection with one another.  By the time this book ends, their relationship seems pretty unbreakable.

The development of the relationships in this book are more subtle than in the first book (although there are some pretty big and important moments that don’t disappoint) but there is also non-stop action.  From the very first page, this book thrusts readers into battles, and challenges and political struggles.  There is a lot of ground to cover here but by the time the book ends, the direction the characters will be taking is clear and much has been accomplished.  One of the things I really like about this series is that each of the first two books is a discrete adventure (with many sub-adventures) but there is still an overarching story that leaves much adventure to come in the concluding book in the series.

We also are treated to more information about the other characters in the series.  The members of Team Beta have their own journeys in this book (although Cat and Griffith remain the focus).  I am hoping that some of their stories will also be resolved in the concluding book because they are adorable as well.  By the time this book ends, the member of Team Beta are fleshed out and each has a unique romantic problem of their own.

A thrilling adventure from beginning to end, this book will definitely satisfy those who enjoyed the first book of the series.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book is part of an interconnected trilogy with the same characters.  This book does not resolve the issues in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  BREATH OF FIRE is the second book in the Kingmaker Chronicles.  This book is meant to be read as part of the trilogy and should be read after the first book in the series PROMISE OF FIRE.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE:  I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

four-half-stars