Review: a surprise hit
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 27, 2013
Ok, so that was just plain sweet...exactly what I was looking for. Even before any of the romance emerged Tari and Arion's interactions were a joy to behold. They both had a certain dry wit about them that I appreciated. I did wonder that Tari could remain quite sooooo oblivious for quite soooo long and how exactly she managed to keep her secret from Arion. But it was still fun.The two kings had a lot of personality for side characters. The Seer, the soldiers, and the family were engaging and both Tari and Arion came out with some really funny one liners. There was the occasional cultural mishap, ok the whole latter half of the romance sort of hinged on one, but it still made me smile. Then there was Arion's additional confession. That was worth reading the book for all on its own.The mystery, though secondary to the plot really, was interesting. As was the true role of the Evening Stars. Though I could take issue with the inference that women, even highly trained and skilled women don't have the heart for real battle, but I think I'll let it pass. You do see the end coming from a mile away but that only heightens the anticipation. You know that HEA is on the horizon and you just can't wait.It's also worth mentioning that this is a standalone book. These feel like they're getting rarer these days, so I'm thrilled to come across one. I have another of Ms. Shea's book on my TBR and I'll be keeping my eye open for more. She's definitely made it on my radar.