Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts

Determined to reevaluate her life, Jude Murray flees her complicated life in Chicago to take refuge in a beautiful cottage in the picturesque village of Ardmore in Ireland. Surrounded by the beautiful scenery and refreshed by the more relaxed lifestyle, Jude finds herself fascinated by the local folklore. Even her cottage seems to have a resident ghost and Jude decides to embark on a personal research project to find out more.

Finally back home in Ireland after years of travelling, Aidan Gallagher is also something of an expert when it comes to his country's haunting myths. He's returned to devote himself to managing the family business. But in Jude Murray he sees a woman who can soothe his heart and stir his blood. And he begins to share the legends of the land with her -- while they create a passionate history of their own... - Synopsis from the back cover of the novel.

My Thoughts

I picked this book up at the airport thinking it would be a good light read for my long flight south. What I got was an exceptional story of love; exploration and self-discovery that made me laugh, nod my head in agreement and cry. Jewels of the Sun has touched me like no other romance novel has, and to this day, nothing I have read can even compare. It is not just another romance novel, but a story of learning to live your life to it’s fullest, to take chances and follow your dreams. After having just been through a recent relationship break-up (and a bad one at that), this could not have come at a better time.

Our heroine is Jude, a onetime university professor who has quit her job, sub-let her condo and moved to Ireland to ‘find herself’. After having her marriage break up in less than a year, she is confused, angry, sad and a little bit neurotic. Jude settles in Fairie Cottage and begins work on her academic paper but this soon turns to her writing of Ireland’s legends and stories, and following her life long dream.

Our hero, Aiden, is a resident of Ardmore who, after years of travelling the world, has come home to take over the family business – the local pub. Intelligent, sexy, compassionate & strong, he is everything a woman could want. He sets his sights on Jude and pursues her, eventually convincing her that she is a warm, smart, beautiful woman with much to offer the world.

Their love story is wonderful, the characters rich and very real. From the tomboy Brenna to the the vain and adorable Darcy to Sean the very talented and angry artist they pull us in, making us wish that we could be lucky enough to find friends like them. Added to this is a secondary plot with a touch of supernatural. It is the story of Prince Carrick and Lady Gwen. Separated by a three hundred year old curse, they wait for the spell to be broken so that they can finally be together.

Maybe it’s my fascination with everything Irish, I don’t know. But every time I read something of Ms. Robert’s that is set in Ireland, I am never disappointed. Her writing style is always engaging, the scenery vivid and beautiful. In this book you can feel the essence of Ireland through the people, the ambiance and the music. In all, this is a fantastic book, one that I could not put down and have read again and again. It’s a ‘feel-good’ story, teaching us that love is something that should never be given up on, no matter how bumpy the road may be.

Prince of Magic by Linda Winstead Jones

The firstborn children of the Fyne witches have finally come into their own, each with a special gift . . .

Independent Ariana Kane Varden, daughter of the Sun Witch, has never let family duty from reaching her dreams. She learned the practice of her gift, the power to heal others, at her mother's knee. And now she is the palace healer, tending to her emperor . . .
The last prophesy of magician Sian Chamblyn's late grandfather points to Ariana as the one to save Columbyana from a growing evil. Sian has hightailed it from lands afar to deliver the message. While he prepares her for the fight of her life, Sian intends to remain undistracted by his sensuously beautiful protégée. But in the heat of battle—and passion—diligence might be his downfall . . .

My Thoughts

Prince of Magic is the first book in the Children of the Sun trilogy, the follow-up to the sensational trilogy, Sisters of the Sun.

In the land of Columbyana, darkness is spreading and an unspeakable evil threatens the land. Sian Chamblyn, a great wizard and grandson of a powerful magician, journeys to the Emperor to relay his grandfather’s final prophecy – The Prophecy of the Firstborn. The prophecy states that the first born children of three fine women will fight and save Columbyana from this evil – an evil that has taken control of the Emperor’s son, Prince Ciro. Sian is expecting a seasoned warrior to lead the fight and is surprised and shocked to discover that the leader is a woman named Ariana.

Ariana is the first-born daughter of the Sun Witch, Sophie. She has been the healer of Emperor Arik, using what she can to keep the ailing emperor alive. Neither Sian nor Ariana believe she has what it takes to lead the army but they accept fate and work together to train for the battle that is yet to come. They are drawn to each other from the beginning, and slowly begin to believe in each other and fall in love. But Sian holds a secret that could destroy their romance before it even begins.

After reading the Sisters of the Sun trilogy, I quickly ran out and bought this one. Once again, I was taken to a land of magic, mystery and passion. The land of Columbyana did not seem like a fictional land as the author paints a descriptive picture and you are transported there. Prince of Magic was emotional, passionate, action-packed and magical. This written story line provides closure to Ariana's segue and sets the stage for the next Fyne witch to continue the war against evil.

If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, you will not be disappointed. I strongly recommend it.

Highland Guardian by Melissa Mayhue

Sarah Douglas is a successful romance novelist who’s come to Scotland hoping to overcome her writer’s block and to come to terms with her strange ability to sense the emotions of everyone she touches. But from the moment she arrives, her problems only intensify. From the stalker – who might be only a figment of her imagination – to her attraction to the darkly handsome owner of the cottage she’s rented, nothing goes as she had planned.

Ian McCullough is neck-deep in his own trouble. A half-mortal descendant of Faeries, he’s been a Guardian for more than six hundred years, but he’s never encountered a woman like Sarah. Assigned to protect her, he finds the job tougher than he could have imagined. Oh, he can handle the stalker, and event he renegade Faeries trying to kidnap her. But falling in love means forsaking his role as Guardian – which is something he could never do.

But there is no denying the passion that exists between the two souls fated to be together.

My Thoughts
Highland Guardian is another winner for Melissa Mayhue and she proves that whether writing time travel or contemporary, she knows how to write a compelling romance. She creates a fabulous world in this book (intertwining a mature faerie culture into modern times) and she has infused depth in both her hero and heroine. There is also an older woman/younger man plot which adds interest to the entire story. The novel is filled with romance and the loves scenes are totally hot, without being overdone. This entire book makes me want to jump on an airplane to Scotland and find a Guardian of my own!

Ms. Mayhue has created a strong supporting cast and we shall, no doubt, see their stories soon. Soul of a Highlander is scheduled for release this May, and I can honestly say that I will be first in line to buy it as it contains the story of Ramos & Mari, who we first met in Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband.

While certainly no Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband, Highland Guardian is a book that shouldn’t be missed.

The Star Witch by Linda Winstead Jones

Some say the Circle of Bacwyr is a myth – and practical Isadora, a young, widowed attendant to the Empress, numbers among them. But for Captain Lucan Hern, the powerful Circle is as real as the daggers he hides under his clothing. The warrior was raised solely to find – and capture – the elusive Star of Bacwyr. But his teachers never told him exactly what it was. They only made one thing clear: Stay away from witches…

Sounds easy enough. Then Lucan meets Isadora, a decidedly different kind of beauty. She is oblivious to his attraction while he is equally oblivious to the fact that she’s a witch. And he believes her ring is the Star he’s been searching for.

Isadora has slept in a cold bed these long years – but the arrival of this gorgeous creature sets her body afire. And after a lifetime of searching for the Star, Lucan all but forgets it, waiting for Isadora to give herself to him freely, when he will take her beyond her wildest dreams…

My Thoughts

The Star Witch is the third and final book in the Fyne Sisters trilogy (see The Moon Witch and The Sun Witch) and is the story of Isadora, the eldest sister. A curse from a wizard on an ancestor of the sister’s has robbed this family of love for three hundred years. It has personally touched Isadora as she lost her husband Willym, as the curse said she would. As a result, she has vowed to never love again.

When we last saw Isadora, she was taken to Emperor Sebestyen and imprisoned. Liane, his former concubine who is now his wife, makes Isadora her personal witch. Isadora, who has teetered on the line between good and dark magic, gratefully accepts the offer and hopes to rectify the mistakes she has made in the past.

Lucan is at the palace for two reasons: first to decide if his brother should be able to marry his pregnant mistress and secondly, to regain the Star of Bacwyr which he believes to be the ring that Isadora wears. Because of this, he requests that Isadora become his concubine while he is at the palace hoping to have an opportunity to steal the ring, and Sebestyen, seeing an opportunity to spy on Lucan, forces Isadora to comply. From the moment she looks upon Lucan her body responds to the sensual creature that he is while she does her best to fight it. What starts out as a simple mission for Lucan soon turns in to much more as he cannot get the prisoner out of his mind; his desire for her is that strong.

Rebels led by the other two Fyne witches are coming to attack the Emperor, who sends Isadora to a hell where no one has ever returned. Isadora sees this as the chance to finally lift the curse even if it takes her death to do so while Lucan risks his life to rescue the woman he loves.

While our hero and heroine is most certainly Lucan and Isadora, the subplot of Sebestyen and Liane pretty much steals the show. Since the first book, we have been following the twisted relationship of these two and no matter how twisted and evil these two are, you can’t help but wish them a happy ending. Even though Sebestyen was a horrible character I found myself wishing that there had been some way to save him from himself and redeem him.

All the many threads are woven together in the trilogy are addressed and all questions answered in this masterful conclusion of the Sisters trilogy. A fantastic ending to an outstanding series and if you are a fan of any romance that is mixed with fantasy, this is a series you definitely must read. Next up is her Children of the Sun trilogy, the stories of the firstborn children of the Fyne sister’s. If it’s anything like this trilogy, it is one not to be missed.

The Moon Witch by Linda Winstead Jones

Blessed – and cursed – with the ability to see the past and future of anyone she touches, middle sister Juliet yearns to use her gift upon herself, if only to understand the terrifying nightmares that plague her. But her fears mean nothing when she is kidnapped by the Emperor’s men.

All his life, Ryn has dreamed of a woman with flame red hair and haunting beauty. He draws extraordinary strength and senses from the wolf-beast within him and after years of hunting, he has found his life mate. Defeating Juliet’s captors, Ryn whisks her away to his home, where his wild desire leads him to defy an ancient prophecy – and only Juliet’s untapped powers can stave off the dark forces that threaten to destroy them both.

My Thoughts

The second book in the Fyne Sister Trilogy, The Moon Witch, is the story of Juliet Fyne, the middle sister who has the gift of sight. The story begins shortly after Sophie and Kane leave Fyne Mountain to rescue their daughter, Adriana.

Imperial troops invade Fyne mountain, kidnapping Juliet and Isadora, burning their home and taking the sisters to the Emperor. Along the way, Juliet is once again kidnapped by Ryn, who is one of the legendary Anywn, a mystical race of human shapeshifters who become wolves with the rise of each new moon. Very few Anwyn females are born so the males must find their mates outside of the city and find them by scent. Ryn is certain that Juliet is his soulmate, destined to be with him forever.

As they travel closer to Ryn’s home, desires long dormant begin to surface and she discovers many secrets about herself and Ryn. When Juliet discovers the truth about her parentage and her roll in fulfilling the prophecy of the Anwyn, she blossoms and grows from the unimpressive middle sister into a powerful witch and leader. The prophecy of the Anwyn adds a different view to the story and provides an interesting twist.

The story also follows Isadora, the eldest sister into the Emperor’s city where she is held prisioner with her fate resting in the hands of Liane, the Emperor’s former concubine who is now his wife. We also see more of the relationship between Sebestyen & Liane and once again, Ms. Jones shows us the ‘human’ side of a tyrant. There are points in the book where we revisit Sophie & Kane who have joined the camp of Sebestyen’s half brother who is the leader of the rebels.

The Moon Witch is an outstanding book, with many complex plots that will keep you enthralled for hours. You are whisked away from one segment to another and your imagination is engaged by vivid scenes that place you in the middle of the action. The book leaves many questions, with many plots hanging which will make a reader quite eager to get their hands of the third and final instalment of this trilogy, Isadora’s story, The Star Witch.