Love Romance Passion

Review: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig

Keira — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:17:56 +0000

Lauren Willig has an excellent sense of humor and language—masterfully weaving internal and external dialogue that makes turning the pages of Night Jasmine a delight. Her voice is modern and refreshing and works successfully both in the past and contemporary settings as she presents two love stories to readers.

I loved the way Lauren put words together on the page. Her ability to turn an ordinary expression or phrase into something more exotic and poetic is a skill she has honed to perfection. At first it was unexpected and I made note of particular sentences that caught my eye but as I got swept away into the story they became a part of the scenery and the characters themselves.

Robert, Duke of Dovedale and Charlotte’s hero, is a wonderful character. He and Charlotte foil each other perfectly. He makes mistakes and does some seriously foolish things in the name of love but he does it with heart and good intentions. But as they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions… literally in this case.

Charlotte is a heroine who has believed in fairytales all her life until Robert inexpertly dashes her hopes and dreams to smithereens in an effort to protect her. Disillusioned by love, believing herself prone to fanciful childish delusions, Charlotte comes to the conclusion she is not a storybook heroine. She acknowledges her shortcomings and lack of gumption and decides to change all that.

Another heroine from 2004 is studying and researching into the Pink Carnation for her dissertation. Her story is woven throughout Charlotte’s and Robert’s as we break from them to learn more about the present happenings. Eloise is disconcerted that her boyfriend Colin avoids the question of his current line of work now that he’s left his city job. With all the spies and espionage from the past filling her head and random comments thrown in from one jealous woman, Eloise comes to the unlikely conclusion that Colin is a spy. She scoffs at her own foolishness until evidence confirms her crazy theory.

I was so absorbed in the reading I was reluctant to put the book down for any reason. Sleeping and eating just sounded like too much bother. I will definitely be on the lookout for the rest of Lauren’s Pink Carnation series.

Rating: 5 Stars

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Interviewed at Savvy Thinker

Keira — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:35:01 +0000

I'm over at Savvy Thinker today. If you want to find out 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Keira of Love Romance Passion (ie me) head on over. Be sure to leave a comment! I will answer questions if your comment is a question.

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Romance and Female Empowerment

Guest Blogger — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:13:56 +0000

by Jennifer Roland, guest blogger

It is no secret that we women--and some men--love our romances. As was discussed at great length in the news media earlier this year, the romance genre has been one of the few segments of the economy to thrive in the recession. Even when we are not doing well financially, we long for the escape that our love stories bring us, whether we prefer heroes who are not quite human, settings that are long past or barely dreamed of, or heat levels that would make our mothers blush.

But are they good for us? Do they further the cause of women, or do they hold us back, trapping us in traditional gender roles?

A few other bloggers have talked about the economic empowerment the romance genre offers to women, the inherent subversiveness of a genre written and read almost entirely by women, and the power romances give women over their sexuality. Rather than rehashing what these other ladies have said, I’d rather look at the stories. Does the romance narrative harm women?

For years, I believed it did. I saw romance novels as a tool of women’s subjugation. We read books that reinforced the roles society had laid out for us: wife, mother, caregiver. Romance novels have one ending: the woman finds her man, the man who will marry her and give her the security and the family she craves. Until she reaches that goal of finding a husband, our heroine is incomplete. I believed that I was more than my marital status, so why would I want to read about women who were made whole only through the object of their affection?

Then I actually read some romance novels, beyond the category romances I read as a young girl. I found a genre that had grown up without me realizing it. I encountered strong women who were whole and who didn’t need a man to complete them. Instead, they wanted a partner to share the burdens and the joys of life. Some of the stories ended with a marriage. Some ended with a commitment to raise a family together. Others ended with the knowledge that two people were entering into a relationship of equals, merging their individual lives to create something more together. Neither the hero nor the heroine quit being who they were; they simply chose to be those people together. In short, I found feminism.

Romance novels allow us to explore the myriad options available in our society. They cover different lifestyles, sexual acts, and time periods. They explore the different paths a woman’s life can take as she maneuvers through the worlds of career and family, whether her family is the heteronormative husband and wife, a committed same-sex relationship, or even a triad or other polyamorous grouping. But most important, they use the woman’s voice to explore the classic themes of literature that have in the past been explored only through a male lens. And they allow us to experience a situation that has a happy ending, something we don’t always get in our everyday lives.

That is why I love romance novels.

Jennifer Roland is a freelance writer and aspiring romance novelist. She fancies herself a new school feminist who adores a sexy vampire or shapeshifter tale, yes, alpha male and all. Keep up with her progress navigating the scary world of publishing on her blog, Jen’s Writing Journey.

Originally posted 2009-07-15 03:33:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anne Hathaway

Keira — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:13:55 +0000

I honestly thought I wouldn’t like this Tim Burton film. Everything looked just entirely too too much and over the top. The trailers didn’t really appeal to me. I went to the 2D version because it was cheaper, so if I didn’t like it I hadn’t shelled out a lot of dough to see it. I was surprised by how many kids were in the theater – I expected the movie to be dark and I thought it was rated higher for more mature audiences. It’s not. It’s pretty kid friendly actually. To make a long story short, loved it. Like LOVED it.

The Actors:

Mia Wasikowska is a wonderful Alice. Perfect from the tips of her curly blond hair to the points of her little toes. She’s a treat to watch.
In the trailers, Johnny Depp, looks and sounds so completely bonkers, I was afraid he’d overplay the part. But Johnny’s performance is surprisingly poignant and full of charm.
Helena Bonham Carter was another who I thought would overplay, but she’s every inch the Red Queen without being too much.
Anne Hathaway plays the flighty White Queen. I couldn’t tell if she was good or bad for half the movie (yes clearly I’ve not read the books… shh… bad reader no cookie.)
Crispin Glover was great as the Knave of Hearts also known as Stayne.
Voice actors Michael Sheen and Alan Rickman did wonderful in their parts.

The Costumes:

Alice Kingsley’s multiple outfits. You’d think the magic juice and cake would make her clothing shrink and grow accordingly, but it doesn’t. It leads to a bunch of hilarity and costume changes allowing Alice to fit into this new mad world.
I’m on the fence for Johnny Depp’s makeup as the Mad Hatter. On one hand I love it – and he can certainly wear it. The eyelashes are awesome. On the other hand I really dislike the purple on white skin palette.
Every costume for the Red Queen was gorgeous. It’s Tudor period meets Disney.
Did not like the White Queen’s costumes. Or more accurately put, I hated that Anne Hathaway had dark thick black eyebrows and thick black/mauve lips against all that white. Very bizarre.
Knave of Hearts face makeup was excellently done. He really looked like he had scars on his face.

CGI:

The scenery will blow your mind in a very good way.
All of the creatures and inhabitants of Wonderland (Underland) are highly stylized. I loved the White Rabbit and the March Hare the best. Go Team Rabbits. Er… Team Hares?
Absolem or the Blue Caterpillar looked like a wrinkled old man. I especially liked his forays into the real world.

Favorite Moments:

The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

The Mad Hatter: [to Alice] You used to be much more...muchier. You've lost your muchness.

Alice Kingsley: This is impossible.
The Mad Hatter: Only if you believe it is.

If you can’t tell by my quotes you should know some of the best parts in the whole film are between Alice and Mad Hatter. They help each other, save each other, rescue each other, look out for each other… I was very disappointed when Johnny Depp didn’t appear in the real world as either himself or as someone new for Alice to meet that looked like her old friend. I thought there was romance in the air there… perhaps for a sequel?

Overall a wonderful movie and well worth the price of admission. I think I just might go see it in 3D.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Buy: Alice in Wonderland (2-Disc Special Un-Anniversary Edition)

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Review: Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer

Keira — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:46:39 +0000

Beauvallet is one of my top favorite Georgette Heyer romances. It’s one I would recommend for a guy to read because of how daredevil the hero is and how much action and high jinks take place.

Sir Nicholas Beauvallet is a dashing pirate with a rakish charm. He’s the bane of the Spanish empire and good friends with other famous privateers such as Sir Francis Drake. He’s gallant, courageous to the point of foolhardiness, and full of confidence. His ego is adorable because it’s so over-inflated and lighthearted.

Dona Dominica de Rada y Sylva is a gutsy heroine. When captured she steals Beauvallet’s dagger and waves it at his nose. When forced aboard Beauvallet’s ship she snubs him, flirts outrageously with another officer, and ignores him. Obviously she’s just hiding her true feelings—the instantaneous crush, the deepening attraction, the utter fascination. The more she pushes him the more under his spell she falls.

When he promises to win her hand in marriage, she scoffs. Not likely! When he says he’ll pursue her right to her doorstep in the heart of Spain, she laughs. Impossible! When he says, “Risk not!” she begins to hope. But can it be done?

Some of the funniest scenes are Beauvallet flaunting his presence under the Spanish aristocracy and nobody being the wiser. I’m so happy that Heyer kept it in mostly Beauvallet’s point of view because we got to his side of the story and laugh at the supposedly mystical and magical escapes he managed to execute under Spanish noses.

It’s also an unusual historical I feel because of the monarchs and events happening.

Relative Time Period – Tudor:

Spanish Inquisition – 1478 to 1834
Henri III – 1551 to 1589
Elizabeth I – 1533 to 1603
Phillip II - 1527 to 1598
Sir Francis Drake – 1577 to 1580 – around world trip

The references to the Spanish Inquisition are just cloying and realistic enough to make you shudder with all the “infinite kindness of the church” and whatnot. I’m not an expert of anything, but the way the dialogue happened almost made one think that King Phillip had no idea what truly happened during the churches inquisition sessions. Does anybody know if he did or not?

Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Review: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Keira — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:10:56 +0000

The second book in the Twilight saga is entitled New Moon and if the first book was about finding true love, then this book is about losing true love. I am not particularly fond of this book. It is because it contains so little Edward. We are introduced to the other paranormal group just up the road however. We meet those that live La Push Reservation, home to the Quileute Tribe. Some we've been introduced to before, like Jacob Black. Others are new.

If you couldn't wait for the library to hand you this next book in the series, you read the beginning chapter that was at the end of Twilight. A teaser that leaves you wondering what happens to Bella when she cuts herself at the Cullens house. Her blood makes them thirsty, none more so than Jasper who has the least control. Edward gets Bella to safety but the damage is done.

The next few days he becomes more and more distant to Bella. She's desperate to break through to Edward when suddenly he starts to talk to her again. Only she wished he wouldn't. I wished he hadn't too. He breaks it off with her at the edge of the forest. It is better than the sewers Angel dumped Buffy in, but I was heartbroken and Bella more so. Here it is, I thought, the end of a good story (but just you wait... keep reading).

So deep is her grief over losing Edward she loses herself and becomes a walking shell. It isn't until half a year later that she can even stick her head above the water. She does it only because Charlie is running scared and pulling ultimatums about going to Florida to live with her mother. Bella can't do that. Doing that means leaving the magic of Forks behind and relegating Edward to a memory and not a reality. So she asks a friend to the movies... anything without romance. She couldn't handle that. It's after the movies that the story gains interest again. She hears Edwards voice... in her head. His voice is a beautiful hallucination warning her of the danger ahead.

What follows next is a series of stupid reckless moves as Bella fights to hear his voice. She turns to Jacob Black to help her fix motorcycles, thinking the danger in riding them would provide her with Edward's voice. She becomes Jacob's friend, and over the hundreds of pages left he becomes the sun to warm the desolation of her life. I don't like Jacob. He keeps pushing the friend boundary, so certain of Bella turning to him and forgetting about Edward despite her repeated warnings that she'll never love anyone but Edward.

But then the story changes again and it's like sweet music playing in your mind because you just know Edward's coming back into the picture. And like Bella, you fear you are going to miss him, lose him again. The book ends on the sweetest note imaginable and you close this sad book feeling ridiculously happy. The ending is four and a half stars.

Rating: 3 Stars

Originally posted 2008-11-19 04:13:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Reader Highlight with Heidenkind

Keira — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:10:55 +0000

Keira: Which do you like more: finishing a book or starting a new one?

Heidenkind: Probably finishing a book, because I like to think about what to read next.

Keira: Which historical romances do you prefer more and why: Classical Novels or Current Regency Based Novels?

Heidenkind: Contemporary novels set in the Regency era tend to be an easier read, so I'd have to go with those.

Keira: Jane Eyre is one of your top favorite novels. What are some other ones you consider too good to miss?

Heidenkind: The Age of Innocence, The Silver Metal Lover, The Ivy Tree, The Queen of Attolia, Archangel, and Captives of the Night, just to name a few.

Keira: Which author occupies the most space on your bookshelf? Why do you love him/her?

Heidenkind: Well, that depends... by "my" bookshelf, do I include my mom's books, too? It's close race between Mary Stewart, Lisa Kleypas, and Christina Dodd. I love Dodd because she writes the kind of books where you can become totally immersed in the story; Kleypas is great because her romances are very intense, emotional, sexy, and intelligent all at the same time; and I grew up reading Stewart, so her books are my comfort reads.

Keira: What is your favorite and/or least favorite plot, character type, or literary device?

Heidenkind: I really hate it when the h/h instantaneously start lusting after one another. It tends to lead to my second-least-favorite device, where there heroine refuses to acknowledge she's attracted to hero for no reason other than to drag the book out.

Keira: How do you define love?

Heidenkind: Love is what knits us together despite logic, annoyance, money, reason, intellect, anger, proximity--it just is. I always think of a quote from The Butcher's Wife: "Love is the leap that cannot be denied." I'm not sure if that's true, but I think leaping is a big part of it. Also that quote is very poetic.

Keira: You began Heidenkind’s Hideaway in 2009. What is your favorite aspect of blogging and what are some of your favorite posts that you’ve written?

Heidenkind: I love being able to discuss books with other readers, and the whole book blogging community is just full of wonderful people. That's probably my favorite aspect of it, although I do really enjoy being able to dissect a book and why it worked for me and why it didn't.

Most of my favorite posts are the ones no one read. Haha! There was a post I did last May called An Immortal Soul that analyzed a random comment on the TV show The Mentalist--I really liked that one, because that's pretty much exactly how my mind works on a day-to-day basis. I think Drood is one of better reviews I've written. There's also a post called Reading By Type where I talk about how nearly every main character in books is a reader. I didn't even realize how true that was until after I had written the post--now I can't escape it!

Keira: What tips would you give to readers who want to read more books?

Heidenkind: Ask Meghan from Medieval Bookworm, that would be my tip. I'm honestly a pretty slow reader. I suppose I would say turn off the TV, computer, stereo, and just concentrate on the book for a while; and if you're not liking it, stop reading it. But then I would have to follow my own advice.

Keira: For you which character makes or breaks a romance novel: the hero or the heroine?

Heidenkind: It could go either way--but at least one of them better be interesting, or the story won't be going anywhere.

Keira: As an art historian does the cover of a book sway you toward impulse purchases? What do you like/hate about the current cover trends?

Heidenkind: Hmm, interesting question. I admit I've bought books just because their covers were beautiful, and YA is definitely where it's at in cover design right now. I like going to that section of the bookstore just to look at the covers (that might also be why I subscribe to a lot of YA blogs...). The only trend I don't like is "Twilightizing" the covers of classic novels like Wuthering Heights. Not because I don't like Twilight, but because: 1. I hate same-y covers; and 2. I think good novels like that deserve more original cover design because they can, and should, stand on their own merits as great novels. I have also bought books just because they have a painting I like as the cover--like Swan Witch. I think I bought that book twice, actually.

Keira: Is there anything you’d like to share or talk about that I missed?

Heidenkind: I recently (like last week) changed the name of my blog to Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books--I think that reflects the whole feel of the blog better.

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Review: The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

Marcia — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:18:00 +0000

By: Marcia, guest reviewer

Grace Eversleigh has a problem. She is in love with a highwayman and a Duke. Neither is marriage material since socially the highwayman with beneath her and the Duke is well above her. The fact that they are both the same man does not help her situation at all.

Grace is a woman from a good but undistinguished family who was thrown out her home after her parent's death. Her only possessions are her self-respect and good name. Never one to miss a good opportunity, the dowager Duchess of Wyndham hired Grace as a companion. Late one night while returning home from a local dance in the dowager's elegant coach, she and Grace are held at gunpoint and robbed by a masked but charming highwayman. The dowager insists that she knows his voice and is convinced that he is her grandson. She gives him the ring off her finger as proof. The next morning the Dowager, accompanied by several servants, kidnap the highwayman for the purpose of returning the dukedom to him. Never mind that there is a current Duke of Wyndham who has been fulfilling these duties well for many years.

The ring is familiar to Jack Audley. He has one just like it left to him by his father who drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Ireland. His mother survived the same shipwreck, but only lived long enough to give birth to him. Having been raised with love and laughter by his maternal aunt and uncle, Jack was told only that his father was from a good English family.

The underlying theme of this book is about being worthy...worthy of position and love. For some readers today, this may seem a little farfetched. After all, today we believe that an individual should go after what they want. But in England, during the early 19^th century, this was not the case. Duty to one's family and county were foremost, as well as, knowing one's place. This social structure was supported by the prevailing religious belief that God did not intend for man to be happy. It will take tremendous courage for Jack and Grace to take a chance on their personal happiness.

Julia Quinn's first novel about the Cavendish family is a winner, told with humor and wit. This is a 'feel good' novel where all the characters, including the dowager, are sympathetic and their motivations are clear. The story moves along smoothly with a tightly constructed plot. It is a great book to read in summer on a sunny beach or wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter's day.

Rating: 4 Stars

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Originally posted 2009-01-12 05:25:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Get into Bed with Joanne Kennedy (Author Interview)

Keira — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:17:59 +0000

Keira: What made you decide to write about cowboys?

Joanne: I’ve always loved Western history, and when I first moved to Wyoming, I was amazed to see how much of the Wild West is still alive and kickin’ out here. Libby makes a comment early in the book that moving to Wyoming and seeing a guy wearing chaps is like moving to Austria and finding your neighbors decked out in Lederhosen, and that’s how I felt. Cowboys are the norm here in Cheyenne, especially during our annual Frontier Days rodeo, but at first, they seemed like another, very exotic species to me. I was like a googly-eyed tourist for the first two years I lived here, just taking in all the frontier flavor.

Keira: What does it take to win a cowboy’s heart?

Joanne: Well, it turns out they’re humans like the rest of us, so I think they’re looking for what all men look for—though a tight pair of Wranglers doesn’t hurt when it comes to getting things started! Seriously, though, I think what cowboys want in a wife is different from what they want in a girlfriend. When things get serious, all of a sudden honesty and smarts matter a lot more than looks!

Keira: What makes a hero perfect? What makes Luke Rawlins a hero readers will fall in love with?

Joanne: To some extent, what makes a hero perfect is imperfection—or at least, his own awareness that he has a few flaws, as well as a sense of humor that lets him laugh at them.

What makes Luke special is that the qualities that draw him to Libby are the ones that might drive other men away—her independence and spirit. He also understands that she’s been hurt and he’s willing to wait until she’s ready for a relationship. At one point in the story, Libby tells him to give up, that she’s damaged goods. His reply is simply, “You’ll heal. I’ll help.” I think that’s the heart of the book, and the essence of Luke’s appeal.

Keira: You’ve worked in bookstores all your life; what’s your favorite job in one? What would you say is the biggest perk?

Joanne: It’s hard to say what my favorite job is. I loved management because I could make a difference; I love being a bookseller because I get to sell my favorite books; and I loved being a buyer because it was a lot like shopping!

But the biggest perk? I met my significant other at the store; he was my best customer! And my favorite:)

Keira: Cowboy Trouble takes place in Lackaduck, Wyoming. Is the town fictional and are they lacking ducks there? Does Lackaduck resemble small town life in Wyoming?

Joanne: Lackaduck is a combination of many small towns in Wyoming, with elements taken from each. To some extent, it’s also my hometown of Cheyenne, distilled and condensed.

As for the lack of ducks, I don’t know. I just love weird town names, like Bug Tussle, Kentucky and Burnt Corn, Alabama. I wanted a name that had that kind of quirkiness to it, and Lackaduck just popped into my head and declared itself. A writer’s mind often makes about as much sense as calling a town Bug Tussle!

Keira: This next question is tough. Ready? How do you define romantic love?

Joanne: Oh, that is tough, because to some extent, it’s indefinable. I think the core of it is that the two people in love know, deep down, that they belong together, and that being together makes them complete. Being with that person gives you a feeling of deep satisfaction that makes the stress of everyday life trivial in comparison.

Keira: If you were in a romance novel, what subgenre would you be in and why?

Joanne: I’d be in one of those zany contemporary romances where the heroine always has her head in the clouds and screws up a lot!

Keira: In your opinion, is it tougher to write mystery or romance? Do you do anything in particular to keep track of key points and facts?

Joanne: I think they both have their challenges, and it really depends who you are. I originally started “Cowboy Trouble” as a mystery, but Luke and Libby couldn’t keep their hands off each other and their love story totally took over. Romance just comes naturally to me.

To keep track of the story, I use multicolored sticky notes. I write in the attic, and I stick the notes to the slanted ceiling above my desk. The different colors represent different elements of the story, and I move them around to make changes as the story takes shape.

Keira: What is your secret guilty plot or character type that you love beyond reason?

Joanne: I love gutsy screwball heroines! Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum is probably the best example. My favorite books have a mixture of humor and kick-a** adventure.

Keira: Shameless self promotion time: What’s next?

Joanne: Next is “One Fine Cowboy” which will be released this fall. It’s another cowboy contemporary about a psychology grad student/animal rights activist from New Jersey who goes to a horse-training clinic in Wyoming to learn about inter-species communication. The cowboy who’s teaching the clinic isn’t much for talking, but it turns out he’s an expert in non-verbal communication.

Keira: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

Joanne: Just a big thank you for inviting me for an interview. I love your site – your reviews are fun to read and I think you do a great job of helping readers make informed choices.

And for readers – I hope you enjoy reading “Cowboy Trouble” as much as I enjoyed writing it!

COWBOY TROUBLE by JOANNE KENNEDY—IN STORES MARCH 2010

Fleeing her latest love life disaster, big city journalist Libby Brown's transition to rural living isn't going exactly as planned. Her childhood dream has always been to own a chicken farm—but without the constant help of her charming, sexy, cowboy neighbor; she'd never have made it through her first Wyoming season.

Handsome rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by this sassy, independent city girl. But he yearns to do more than help Libby out with her ranch…he's ready for love, and he wants to go the distance. When the two get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story, Libby discovers that their sizzling hot attraction is going to complicate her life in every way possible…

Buy: Cowboy Trouble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions ranging from bookseller to buyer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second place in the Heart of the Rockies contest in 2007. Joanne lives and writes in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information please visit http://kennedysmyth.com/ and http://www.cowboytrouble.com/.

Giveaway: 2 copies of Cowboy Trouble are up for grabs. Perfect for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted mystery! Open to US and Canadian readers only. Sorry international readers! To enter ask Joanne a question. One entry per relevant comment; multiple entries allowed. Ends: March 22, 2010. Best of luck!

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Review: My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel

Keira — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:50:55 +0000

My Forbidden Desire starts with Harsh (from the first novel) and Alexandrine reconnecting. They are brother and sister. Alexandrine has been certain of Harsh's death for years, she's resentful for his sudden presence and insistence she needs protection from an evil mage... who just happens to be her real father.

Xia, a secondary character in My Wicked Enemy, is a newly freed fiend and the one charged with protecting Alexandrine. When Carolyn said she had refashioned bad boy Xia into a hero I knew I had to read his story! His intense hate, eagerness to kill, and desire to give out pain would be hard to overcome for any writer. Even more so when you planned to pair him up with someone who Xia considers his enemy, no matter how harmless. In my opinion, Carolyn has done a phenomenal job revealing the witch hater’s inner good qualities. Xia is very easily worth the price of the book.

Alexandrine Marit as a heroine is very likeable... despite being a witch. She possesses a great amount of unselfishness, though she has to work for it. The talisman she has found is putting a number on her similar to Golem’s reaction around the one ring in The Lord of the Rings. Her self-sacrifices pile up throughout the novel – if I were to list them it would seem ridiculous, but I assure it is not. Simply put it is quite the only way to prove her character to Xia.

It took me a while to get into this book. The first chapter or two was pretty rough. I started and stopped twice before finally overcoming the strangeness of the novel's set up. As with Carolyn’s other novels, once you are involved in the story you simply can’t put it down!

Rating: 3 Stars

Buy: My Forbidden Desire