Review: The Fire Lord’s Lover by Kathryne Kennedy
THE ELVEN LORD’S BOOK 1: THE FIRE LORD’S LOVER
Kathryne Kennedy
ISBN: 978-1402236525 (Mass Market Paperback)
B003PJ7ARE (Kindle eBook)
July 6, 2010
Sourcebooks Ltd./Casablanca
Paranormal Romance/Fantasy
Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
The Fire Lord’s Lover is a touching love story that will sweep you away into another time and place where the elves rule and love is found in unlikely places.
Dominic Raikes is the son and champion of the Elven Fire Lord, a cruel, evil, and quite possibly mad ruler of a land where fear is the order of the day and fire magic is revered. Dominic must hide his own growing magical abilities from his father or lose all he holds dear, not the least of which is his own life. When his bride arrives, Dominic must wage an even deadlier war…
Outwardly pure Lady Cassandra has been raised by a secret society bent on the destruction of the Elven Lords and freedom for the people. Her assignment is to earn the trust of Dominic to get close enough to assassinate both he and his father. Little did she know how deceitful a game she would end up playing or that the stakes would be her own heart… and her life.
When Dominic and Cassandra uncover a greater danger than either imagined, they must put their differences aside – and their burning passion – to put an end to the Fire Lord’s rule forever.
If fantasy, romance, and/or alternative history is your game, you will find something to love in The Fire Lord’s Lover. This one has it all, dashing adventure, a cool on the outside but warm on the outside hero, mystery and intrigue, a strong but vulnerable heroine, plenty of magic, and a healthy dose of romance. I love the alternate reality of the Elven-ruled London and was struck with awe upon seeing the magical lands the elves created for themselves, even though it came at the cost of human freedom. Kathryne Kennedy so thoroughly enmeshes magic and reality that upon ending the story, it’s hard to imagine that such a world truly does not exist except in the land of imagination. This is one of her trademarks in her novels and is a favorite part for me. I was horror-struck upon the revelation of what exactly the fire lord has been doing all these years to reinforce his reign and I was cheering Cassandra and Dominic all the more in their quest to take down a madman.
I have to say I wasn’t so sure about Dominic for most of the book. It took me a long time to warm up to him, likely because he keeps such a tight rein on his emotions that it’s hard to see his softer side until much later in the story. Even knowing the reasons behind his cool façade, he didn’t quite win my heart until he begins to let down his walls with Cassandra. Once she invades his heart, everything changes and Dominic becomes the kind of hero I can adore. I found myself grieving with him over his life’s losses, dreaming about the happy life that had seemed beyond his reach, and giving in to the joy Cassandra brings into his life. Cassandra on the other hand, I loved immediately, and loved even more once I saw the affect she had on Dominic. She has her own brand of magic and secrets to keep, knowing her life’s work is about to come to fruition, even if not quite the way she imagined. In spite of the danger her mission entails, she never loses that joie de vivre that makes her so appealing. As Cassandra and Dominic learn to trust one another, this only tempers the bond between them, making it all the stronger.
I have come to expect Kathryne Kennedy’s work to keep me spellbound from beginning to end and The Fire Lord’s Lover more than delivers! I don’t know how I will be able to wait so long for book 2, The Lady of the Storm, due out in August 2011. I for one will be snapping it up to read immediately!
© Kelley A. Hartsell, August 2010. All rights reserved.
