Category: Check Content Warning/Triggers

Of Water and Dragons by Kelley Heckart

On By TracyIn Ancient Britain, Book Publicity, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Historical Fiction, Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews1 Comment


Of Water and Dragons

He’s a Roman soldier. She’s an enemy of Rome.
The Romans call the land they want to conquer Caledonia. Nemu calls it home.
The half-human, half-water faery has a second chance to save the Celtic people
from the Roman legions, but the cost might be too high.
Ambiorix is torn between his duty to Rome and his growing affection for a
mystical Caledonian woman. He questions everything he’s been taught about the
barbaric Celtic tribes.
Their worlds collide in a fury of fire, blood, and darkness.


˃˃˃ Of Water and Dragons combines the Roman history and Celtic lore of
ancient Britain and Scotland, creating an unforgettable story of love and
sacrifice.

This is a revised 2nd edition.

Genre: Historical fiction fantasy romance

Tropes: Opposites Attract, Love Triangle, Secrets, Magic,
Fated, Different Worlds

Available in Kindle, Print, and Kindle Unlimited

Amazon Buy Link

EXCERPT:

Ambiorix had a lot of time to think while she was gone. He was determined to find out who this strange woman was and why she always wore a cloak. What is she hiding?

Later, when she returned to the cave, he pretended to be sleeping. He watched her lay down on the other side of the room. After waiting for her slow, slumbering breaths, he crept over to her.

Nemu slept peacefully, her goddess-like face looking so innocent. The cloak was wrapped tightly around her body. Holding a candle, Ambiorix gently lifted the garment to see what was underneath.

Her eyes flew open. “What are you doing?” She fumbled with the cloak, trying to cover herself up, but it slid off her body.

Large white wings protruded from just below her shoulder blades. He gasped and stumbled back, the candle teetering in his hand.

She must have seen the shock and disgust on his face because she looked down as if ashamed.

He slowly backed away from her. “Y-You are not human!”

“My father was a human!” she threw back at him.

Wide-eyed and trembling, he continued to stare at her.

“Stay away from me.” He grabbed his sword belt and armor, backing away toward the entrance.

She held up her hands, palms facing him. “Wait! At least let me guide you out of the forest.”

“No! I can make it on my own.”

“I know this forest. You need me if you want to make it out of here alive. You might fall into one of the deep valleys, and there are beings in this forest that wouldn’t treat you as nicely as I have.” She compressed her lips and thrust out her chin in determination. “We have to wait until twilight so Calgacus’s warriors can’t see us. You should get some more rest.”

He sighed, slumping his shoulders in defeat. She was right. He had no idea how to get back to the Roman camp. Ambiorix lay down, but he didn’t sleep, and he kept his sword close to him.

Review Quote

“Ms. Heckart draws the reader into the pages and enchants them with her words.” CTR

About the Author


With nearly 20 years of writing and editing experience, Kelley Heckart’s writing focus is steamy, paranormal romance novels. The author of 14 full-length novels, Kelley cleverly plays on the page using fantasy and paranormal elements throughout ancient, medieval, and contemporary timelines. And she fills her romance novels with history, mythology, and mysticism. Her bold characters tell stories through the eyes of fierce warriors, powerful women, gods and goddesses, faeries and vampires, and beyond. These characters are intertwined with one another through captivating, sensual storytelling, and she thrives when using her gift of fantasy and romance.

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His Secret Highland Bride by Allison B. Hanson

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

His Secret Highland BrideHis Secret Highland Bride by Allison B. Hanson

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Clan MacPherson, #1

Release Date: May 13, 2024

After fighting abroad for five years, Shane MacPherson, now a guilt and grief-stricken widower is back in Scotland and must take over as Laird of his clan now that his father has passed away. He must also honor an agreement made by his father to marry the Laird of the Wallace clan’s daughter. He is on his way home to Cluny Castle to face the responsibilities bearing down on him, when he comes across a woman being assaulted on his lands, he is horrified to realize the men are MacPhersons and intervenes. This is when he meets Lindsay and with her, he finds peace for the first time since his beloved wife died. She seems to understand his grief and helps him heal. Yet neither is quite honest with the other, Shane believes Lindsay to be a maid and she believes him to be a simple soldier. They find a bit of happiness together and though they both think they are promised to others thanks to their fathers, they plan to defy them by marrying. But eventually Shane must return home and it is there that his short-lived happiness ends.

Lindsay Wallace was sent to the MacPherson clan by her mother to tend her ailing aunt, but when she arrived it was to learn that her aunt had already passed. She tries to help her uncle and his children, but is treated horribly by them and wants to return home. Her parents refuse and inform her of her impeding nuptials to the Laird of the MacPhersons. After the way she has been treated by them, Lindsay wants nothing to do with the MacPherson clan and certainly doesn’t want to marry their Laird. Shane is the only MacPherson she has met who seems honorable and they form a friendship of sort. She agrees to marry him to save herself, but wonders if she is doing the right thing, since he clearly still loves his first wife. When they return to Shane’s home, Cluny Castle, the truth comes out and any chance of happiness she might have had vanishes.

I am torn about this book, the writing was good and the characters likable, but the pace of the story was slow and the misunderstandings and misassumptions dragged on way too long to be truly enjoyable. The story has a lot going on and a lot of action, but relies heavily on misunderstanding, secrets and lies to keep the story moving forward – all of which become tiresome to the reader, especially when the issues could have easily been resolved with a bit of honest conversation. Personally, I didn’t feel any chemistry between Shane and Lindsay – he was still in love with his wife and blamed himself for her death, making it almost impossible for him to move on and then when he decided that it was time, he found something else to feel guilty about – UGH! And Lindsay wasn’t much better, she was a hypocrite who was quick to jump to conclusions and to judge and very slow to forgive – Double UGH! I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it and wouldn’t read it again. This is the first book in the and while I didn’t care for this story, I would definitely read the next book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *