Category: Paranormal / Fantasy

White Rose of Avalon by Kelley Heckart

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Paranormal / FantasyLeave a comment

White Rose of Avalon: An Arthurian RomanceMy rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone
Publication Date: Re-Released 2/14/20 – Originally Pubbed: 11/16/2007
Number of Pages: 186

If you like the fey, magic, and King Arthur, this might be just the book for you. The reimagined tale of Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Lancelot, etc. is interesting, but it just isn’t my cup of tea. So, I’ll tell you a bit about the story itself and not comment too much on my like (or not) of the overall story. I will also mention that I sort of felt as if the ‘story’ was just a means to tie the sexual interludes together. They were definitely a lustful lot.

The power and influence of the Goddess is waning and with the advent of most of the ‘human’ lands falling to the Christians, the faeries now exist on Avalon hidden behind impenetrable mists.

Morgaine, Queen of Faeries, is desperate to regain the Goddess’s faith in her and to protect Avalon – at all costs. She’ll manipulate and sacrifice anything or anyone to further the interests of Avalon – and that includes those she loves.

Morgaine and Lancelot have been lovers for years – and they do love each other. However, Morgaine keeps sending Lancelot away from Avalon on missions as a warrior to gain allies for Avalon – and Lancelot keeps going because he has a wandering, restless soul. Still – their love continues, no matter how often or how long Lancelot is away. That is – until a love potion goes horribly wrong.

Morgaine has orchestrated an alliance between Arthur and the Faeries. She will assure that Arthur becomes High King if he will take a queen from the Faeries. All is going as planned until Morgaine decides to assure they have a strong love bond by producing a potion for them to drink on their wedding day. Except – they aren’t the only ones who end up getting a sip of the potion. OOPS! Lancelot was just so thirsty after a bout of lovemaking with Morgaine that he sipped whatever liquid was sitting around. OOPS!

Lancelot couldn’t understand his intractable longing for Gwenhwyfar. He knows in his logical mind that he loves Morgaine – but – he feels mesmerized by Gwenhwyfar. Thus begins the betrayals and heartbreaks in this story. So many people – manipulated in so many ways – were hurt and even died.

This didn’t feel like a romance to me – and maybe it wasn’t meant to be. It felt more like a tragedy of sorts. While it sort of had a HEA – too many people died – and I really didn’t feel like Morgaine deserved a happy ending of any sort.

If you like a lot of steam and you also like Arthurian tales, you might like this read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How to Love Your Elf by Kerrelyn Sparks

On By TracyIn Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Paranormal / Fantasy, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

How to Love Your Elf (Embraced by Magic #1)How to Love Your Elf by Kerrelyn Sparks

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Embraced by Magic, #1 * (This is a new series with a new publisher – but it is a continuation of a previous series call The Embraced by a different publisher.)

Release Date: February 25, 2020

Fans of Kerrelyn Sparks original “Embraced” series will be delighted to learn that this new series takes us back to Aerthlan and picks up where that one left off!

Sorcha has sworn off love, she is determined to escape the fate the telling stones predicted and not fall in love, especially not with an elf! She is in Norvshka with her brother King Silas and his new bride Gwennore, when Gwen gets a letter from her mother Princess Jenetta of the Elven country of Woodwyn, requesting to meet her. Sorcha insists on going with her and soon it is clear that the letter was a ruse and they are ambushed. Gwen and Silas escape, but when the dragon shifter Aleksi is injured, he and Sorcha are captured by the Elves.

An outlaw elf known as the Woodsman witnesses the battle and helps them escape, he too is “embraced” and has the power to manipulate wood and can communicate with the trees. He is immediately attracted to Sorcha, but he has a mission to complete and has no time to pursue a romance. He tells her he will get help for Aleksi’s injuries and return her to her family. She is wary of him, but with no options, she agrees to accept his help. She is attracted to him, but as he doesn’t fit the description of the man the stone foretold, she doesn’t believe he is “the one” – but she wishes he was! She is upset when she learns he is an outlaw, but soon realizes he is actually protecting the people of Woodwyn, acting as a sort of Robin Hood. The more time she spends with him, the more she wants him, but he is not her destiny…or is he?

This was a well written, fast paced story with lots of humor, some action, a little magic, new and old villains, secrets, surprising revelations, some steamy love scenes, shifters, elves, dragons, cameos with her adopted sisters, some heartbreak and finally a well-earned HEA complete with an epilogue that sets up Maeve’s story. I really enjoyed this book – it was a fun read that pulls you into the fictional world of Aerthlan and the Embraced. I had so much fun reading this book that I didn’t want the story to end and when I got to the last page it left me anxiously awaiting the next book!

If you like historical paranormal romance (but be warned – the dialogue is decidedly modern) – you must read this series. This is the first book in the Embraced by Magic series published by Kensington Books, but it is not the first book Kerrelyn has written about the sisters – You could read this book as a stand-alone novel, but I suggest looking into this authors backlist.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher.*