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Showing posts with label Heart Book Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heart Book Series. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Review: Hearts and Swords
Hearts and Swords
Author: Robin D. Owens
Release Date: Dec. 6, 2011
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Heart Book Series
ISBN: #978-0425243411
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (464 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Award-winning author Robin D. Owens returns to the futuristic world of Celta with four original romantic fantasies as four different couples find their HeartMates and their destinies on Celta.
What VampBard’s talking about:
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Robin Owens brings it once again with Hearts and Swords! I completely adore the world of Celta, and the infusion of Druidian beliefs within her stories. Put me on a starship, in stasis, and find me Celta, please! I want the simplicity of the magic-infused lifestyle, as well as the structure of the classes in my life, too. Well, the magic at least - who doesn't want to have a no-time, which stores food and drink at the perfect temperature? Overall, I enjoyed this anthology of 4 novellas about Celta. The first gave me great background, and the others showed traditions and other aspects of life I'd not read about previously.
“Heart and Sword” was a great novella that gave a lot of rich background about the arriving at Celta, a new Earth-like planet after spending MUCH too long on starships. I really liked the hero, Kelse, and thought that he was the perfect blend of heroic and empathetic. He was completely and utterly into his HeartMate, Fern. Their connection was obvious from the moment she was first mentioned in the story. If you are a Trekkie, you're going to love this shortie!
Rating for Heart and Sword novella: 5 stars
“Heart Story” is a sweet and tender story about 'mature' love that endured the test of time. If you've read any of Owens' books, you're aware of what a HeartMate is, and the intense bond they have. Dri and Blush were denied each other, due to familial issues when they were young, and are now re-connecting. There's the standard plot arc, with conflict, etc. What was the most awesome about this story was the way Dri and Blush connected and how they interacted. You could feel the love between them.
Rating for Heart Story novella: 4 stars
“Heart and Soul” This was my favorite of the four shorts. I loved the plot arc, and the way that Nista and Cardus began to know one another, and how they came to be a couple. The conflict showed our heroine as a strong woman, able to take care of herself, which I LOVE! She kicked tush in the fight scene! Cardus, our hottie hero, was tender and understanding of Nista's predicament, and watching their love grow was intense and uplifting. Of special note was the really cool way Owens portrayed the Druidian ritual for Halloween. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Rating for Heart and Soul novella: 5 stars
“Noble Heart” was a nice story, but just didn't work well for me. Walker and Sedwy were strong characters, but I just didn't connect with the way in which their relationship blossomed. Probably me. Walker had an interesting story - he was raised by his dad and his wife, whom he thought was his biological mother. Well, turns out his mom was from a family of many talents, and BOOM! He fell into his own all at once instead of the usual gradual progression. Sedwy became his 'teacher', and that was that. I really liked both characters and the way the story was crafted; if it had been about another situation, I probably would have enjoyed it a bit more.
Rating for Nobel Heart novella: 3 stars
Expertly crafted, with consisted use of the terms she developed for her world, Owens brings her readers beautiful blossoms of deeper understanding for the world of Celta and it's inhabitants through Hearts and Swords. Readers of her Celta stories will definitely benefit from these stories, and enjoy the adult relationships built through her finesse of the English language.
VampBard’s Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Labels:
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Review: Heart Search
Please welcome my friend, VampBard who wrote today's review of...
Heart SearchAuthor: Robin D. Owens
Release Date: August 2, 2011
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Heart Book Series #10
ISBN: #978-0425241387
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (368 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
Laev T'Hawthorn -- one of the highest nobles in the land -- must rebuild his life after a devastating mistake. He married a woman he believed was his HeartMate, only to learn she was a greedy social climber. She callously used him, stealing his family heirlooms. He is determined to reclaim all that he has lost -- beginning with his self-respect.
Abandoned at fifteen, Camellia Darjeeling values her independence above all. She's fought to establish her own businesses -- elegant tearooms -- only to have her father and uncle re-enter her life. They emotionally scourge her and extort money. Trusting men, even her HeartMate, is too risky.
When Laev and Camellia meet, they refuse to acknowledge that they are true HeartMates. After her shady relatives are implicated in the theft of Laev's property, Camellia and Laev's lives become ever more entangled bringing each to the brink of despair and passion...and a destiny they can no longer avoid.
What VampBard talking about: |
Heart Search is the tenth book in Owens' series. This is my first time reading her work. Let me just start by saying I L-O-V-E the world she's created! This world is the perfect blend of fiction and reality for me. Just enough sci-fi tossed in to make it interesting, too. The mythology behind this novel was well-researched, and the combination of Wiccan and Druidism as well as some of the Celtic myth definitely kept my interest, as I constantly find myself drawn to stories of this type.
The hero, Laev, is an extraordinary hero. At the onset of the story, he's a ruler that has not stepped up to his role. By the end of the novel, however, Laev is THE man! He rights wrongs, and seeks solutions to problems. Most importantly, he finds the love of his life – his HeartMate – in Camellia.
Camellia, a heroine as strong as they come, provides the story with a strong dose of reality. We all have skeletons in our closet, and poor Camellia has to deal with hers quite often. She loves passionately, works hard, and is self-sufficient. While she doesn't really have room nor time in her life for a man, she finds the compelling draw to Laev immutable.
Not only were the love scenes incredible (even when they were on the mental plane), but the rest of the action in the book was stellar as well. Owens kept the novel moving by using problems and solutions throughout her story to move the reader through Camellia's life and got us to the point where she was ready to share not only her successes but her struggles with someone else – her HeartMate. Funny thing, Camellia, for having known Laev was her HeartMate for quite a bit of time, was very hesitant to allow him into her life in any capacity. The independent woman found flaw with any logic that brought Laev into her life in a significant role. Ya might call Camellia a little stubborn, but that's OK. Eventually, she realized that certain things in life were meant to be shared, and who better to share them with than the one that was meant to be with you for eternity!
Owens is a great writer! While I did have some problems settling into the story, I couldn't put it down once the characters drew me in to their world. This grammarian, additionally, enjoyed the author's writing style, and wasn't caught up by poor writing. No banishment to the Grammar Dungeon for Ms. Owens! I'm definitely adding the first nine Celta novels to my TBR list, and hope that I can, sooner than later, loose myself in the semi-Druidian world created.
VampBard’s Rating: |
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
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