One for Young-at-Heart Romantics

Linnet and the Prince 

by Alydia Rackham

My rating on a 100-point scale: 94

My recommender: 

     The author herself e-mailed me and asked if I'd read and review her book. I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

My synopsis: 

     Linnet is the younger of two princesses of Hilrigard. When Hilrigard is overtaken by the formidable Badi people, the Badi prince Rajak gives the Queen a choice: give him a princess for his wife or force him to slaughter the whole Hilrigard kingdom. Linnet, the tougher of the two princesses, chooses to go in her sister's place, and is tasked by her mother to kill the prince on the eve of the Water Gathering festival, two months hence. But the prince is not what he seems, and Linnet slowly but surely falls for the gentle and kind prince. And things get very complicated when her mother's "brother" assassins come to rescue Linnet the eve of the Water Gathering festival.

My review:

     I very much enjoyed this book. The characters are loveable; the story is captivating; the cultural elements are intriguing; the politics are realistic; and I couldn't help but wish for more story to come at the end. I very much appreciate the author's straight-forward, no-beating-around-the-bush, quick and simple way of telling the story, as this makes for a quick, yet intriguing and enjoyable read. 

     However, I must mention the negative: Characters "hiss" when they speak, and I'm not sure how this is possible or true. There were very little typos, but I did catch a few, including one which I think was supposed to be "every" but was actually "emach," or something along those lines. The formatting was slightly skewed in a few places. Also, the ending, the more I think about it, is a mite puzzling, but I won't provide any spoilers here.

I recommend to: 

Anyone and everyone who enjoys a good story, especially those involving clean and believable romance. 

I do not suggest this book for children under the age of 10, due to elements of mild gore.

Warrior's Woman 
by Johanna Lindsey

My rating on a 100-point scale: 90 

My Review:
     This isn't the best romance I have ever read, but it is pretty decent, in my opinion.
     There is much to love about this book: the science fiction elements, the future mixing with the past, the political reasons driving the story, and the unique mixing of cultures and beliefs, among many other things. The sensual scenes are relatively satisfying to read, as well, though a little cliche at times.
     However, there are a few things that one could very well dislike. Such as: A strong modern heroine being conquered by an animalistic feudal leader, who just happens to be exactly what she needed. The over-bearing male dominance in this novel is nearly sickening, however well it plays into the romance side of things. I have to admit that I was a bit like, "Really, that far?" when the male main character was first introduced. I feel like a few elements were just a bit overdone, that's all.
     Overall, this book is a good read. I highly recommend if you're a romance genre fan who may like a little science-fiction, futuristic element.

I recommend to: 
Fans of the romance genre.
  
I would not recommend this novel for anyone under the age of 15 due to multiple scenes of a sexual nature.

A Party! You're Invited!

The Romance Reviews’ Sizzling Summer Reads Party
June 2013

    I am a participating author in this year's Sizzling Summer Reads Party! For a free copy of my debut novel Pieces, as well as many others, participate in this wonderful event free of charge. This event runs from June 1 to midnight June 30, so mark your calendars and plan to attend daily. There are lots of fun activities and great prizes, so be sure to check it out. 

   Clicking on the photo to the right will take you to the hosting page for this event and inform you of all you need to know. If you have any additional questions or comments, please let me know below and I will get back to you as quickly as possible.