The Heart Remembers by Marissa St. James
Title: The Heart Remembers
Author: Marissa St. James
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Publisher website: www.whiskeycreekpress.com
Genre: Sci-Fi
ISBN: E-Book-978-1-60313-465-4 Paperback-978-1-60313-466-8
Rating: 3 Moons
On the way back from the cities across the desert, Faris returns home to find his once peaceful village in ruins and everyone killed. There is no trace of who would do such a thing making it impossible to swear vengeance. No, as the last of their families they must go on and carry on their family name. With nowhere else to go he returns to England after being gone for twenty years as Earl of Sheffield with his son, his heir. Back in England they enter a jousting tourney where the prize is the widowed Countess of Ashcroft.
Sylvia, Countess of Ashcroft can not believe that Prince John has forced her to do such a thing but she has little say in what the Prince decides. She must go along with the plan no matter how distasteful it is to her. Lord Faris is in attendance and though she is a little weary of him there is something familiar about him. Something that beckons to her memories. Faris feels the same way too, familiar. Had they finally found each other again after several years apart?
A little slow moving at the beginning but an enjoyable tale. The connection between Faris and Sylvia is immediate and right away you make the connection. There is a little confusion concerning their past together and I must admit I didn’t fully understand it myself. I must admit I did get a little confused during the story but I sorted the details out. The love between the characters is right away recognizable and the historic detail is immaculate. This book was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and I enjoyed it.
Reviewed by
Mel Moon
Dust and Moonlight by Keta Diablo
Title: Dust and Moonlight
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Publisher website: www.SirenPublishing.com
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Keta Diablo
ISBN: 1-60601-210-X
Pages: 191
Rating: 4 1/2 moons
Kira Barton is just trying to catch a killer. A killer who has killed several different women and she had been helping the FBI because of her ability to ‘see’. Then the dreams start up again distracting her from her task. The strange dreams of a man cloaked in black but who he is she doesn’t know but she thinks perhaps he is connected to the killer she is searching for. Then something unplanned happens. The killer she has been searching for has also been searching for her and he has found her. It is the medallion around her neck that ultimately winds up saving her life by transporting her into the past, 1179. It is here that she winds up meeting Balion the Prince of Locke Cress, none other then the man cloaked in black that has been haunting her dreams.
As soon as Balion sees Kira he too realizes that she is the woman, the forest nymph who has been haunting his dreams. Balion was already betrothed but it was common knowledge that he did not love his betrothed, a deal set up when he was a child. Kira is the one he wants and it is her who has soaked into his blood. He wants her for all time and he is determined to let nothing stop him. Not the Gods or the boundaries of time. What will Kira do? She can’t leave him to return to her own time but she can’t stay.
Dust and Moonlight, was a very pleasant story to read on a nice, cool day. I have always loved the elements of Fantasy and magic as well as cultures who believe in it completely, Ms. Diablo gives us both in spades. I completely fell into the world she created and instantly fell in love with the feisty, modern Kira as well as with the handsome warrior Prince Balion. Their chemistry seems to burn right off the pages and somehow seeps into you, sweeping you away by passion. The secondary characters in the story are vital and breath life into the lives of Kira and Balion with such believability that one finds themselves wishing they knew them or even sit and converse with such vivid characters.
The chemistry, the passion, the excitement and vivid imaginary of the story will make you wish to find yourself in your own version of, Dust and Moonlight. Excellent job Ms. Diablo.
Reviewed by: Mel Moon