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jackiehorne's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Perhaps my favorite of the series to date, in large part because our two fated lovers are reeling from previous traumatic romantic relationships when they meet, and they actually take the time to become friends before falling in love with one another. The quick, unmotivated turn-around ending, with Lahsin suddenly deciding to accept her heartmate bond with Tinne, struck a really false note.
birdloveranne's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best and most emotionally wrenching books. Tears were in my eyes at the end.
h3dakota's review against another edition
2.0
There are so many things that I really do like about this series. I've been reading so much sci fi of late that the romance element was a bit annoying, I'm afraid. I didn't really connect well with either of the characters, though I did like the slow pace of the building of the relationship, given her history.
lora1898's review against another edition
2.0
{Some spoilers}
Okeeey...This is my first book in this genre and in this series. I can't say I liked it very much.
The world wasn't so difficult to understand. Some things stayed unclear, but it was because I haven't read the previous books. Still, there was something I couldn't accept. First and foremost the emotions. The novel is so full of them that I'm exhausted after reading it. Truly, it was too much. The divorce caused so much pain to the main hero and I found that surprising. As far as I understood he wasn't supposed to love his wife anymore. The love should have faded. But he suffered so much, it was as if he lost his HeartMate. I mean, yes, it is painful to understand that something you fought for cannot be saved, but to suffer to such extend?
Anyway, I liked how the heroine's and the hero's love progressed. It was slow and healing. Without pressure. Both of them overcame their fears and hurt. But...I couldn't feel it, you know? Especially from the heroine. It was as she loved him just because they were HeartMates. Before she knew they were meant to be together...I didn't feel something strong from her side.
The end was predictable and not at all satisfying for me. I would have liked to see them talk about what happened.
So... 2 1/2 stars.
I don't think I will go back to that world.
Okeeey...This is my first book in this genre and in this series. I can't say I liked it very much.
The world wasn't so difficult to understand. Some things stayed unclear, but it was because I haven't read the previous books. Still, there was something I couldn't accept. First and foremost the emotions. The novel is so full of them that I'm exhausted after reading it. Truly, it was too much. The divorce caused so much pain to the main hero and I found that surprising. As far as I understood he wasn't supposed to love his wife anymore. The love should have faded. But he suffered so much, it was as if he lost his HeartMate. I mean, yes, it is painful to understand that something you fought for cannot be saved, but to suffer to such extend?
Anyway, I liked how the heroine's and the hero's love progressed. It was slow and healing. Without pressure. Both of them overcame their fears and hurt. But...I couldn't feel it, you know? Especially from the heroine. It was as she loved him just because they were HeartMates. Before she knew they were meant to be together...I didn't feel something strong from her side.
The end was predictable and not at all satisfying for me. I would have liked to see them talk about what happened.
So... 2 1/2 stars.
I don't think I will go back to that world.
cranberrytarts's review against another edition
5.0
Reread 10/11/09: This was the first HeartMates book I ever read. I wanted to do a re-read to see if it held up as well as I remember. It did.
I'd have to say this is probably my favorite of the series to date. I love that both characters have suffered greatly and aren't ready to jump into anything. The both need time to mend and heal. Seeing their relationship grow is beautiful and lovely.
If you're looking for a sweet romance, I'd highly recommend this one.
I'd have to say this is probably my favorite of the series to date. I love that both characters have suffered greatly and aren't ready to jump into anything. The both need time to mend and heal. Seeing their relationship grow is beautiful and lovely.
If you're looking for a sweet romance, I'd highly recommend this one.
wuxien's review against another edition
1.0
I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked the writing, the book should've had an higher rating but I just cannot get over the ending. It coloured the whole experience and my sense of fairness just plain screamed at the end.
I mean, I invested emotionally in Lahsin and, at the end, I wanted her to really kick some ass but the writer plain screwed her. Here we have an heroine that overcomes abuse - major abuse that lasted for three years and finally started to believe in herself and became strong - and what happens? She "accidentally" kills her abuser? I mean, for real, "accidentally"? She seems to be bright and quite smart all the way until her "estranged" brother wants to meet her and she goes without a qualm, never even suspecting anything? Did she suffer a lobotomy at the end? What happened there?
Another thing that annoyed me to hell and beyond - this family from where she escapes, that stood aside and were accomplices to the abuse she sustained, suffered no consequences at the end, there was no mention of anything happening to them. Also, that Taxa character continued to live and became head of the family, even though she was an active accomplice.
Other things weird and wrong in the story:
- her Family which sold her again suffered no consequences under their laws.
- There were mentions in the book that other Families knew what was happening - and in other books as well-in Heart Dance, the main character knows what's happening there yet he does nothing- and he's a main character/"hero". He and the heroine go merry in their happy ending and do nothing for a 14 years old sold in marriage - he's supposedly one of the good guys.
- The so called Judge which is supposed to be impartial does nothing to punish the two families involved in this.
- Her HeartMate aka her soulmate knew she was sold in marriage and did nothing, he just went and married another woman and convinced himself that she's ok.
- There is a ball in Heart Dance where everyone knows that something is wrong with that marriage, all 25 First Families, the strongest and the best of Celta, where some of them have been the wonderful heroes/heroines of other love stories, where they are amazingly wise and honorable yet in this book no one does anything for that poor girl.
So this book presents a society where it is legal to sell your daughter in marriage to an abuser and that's ok - one can do that again & again -and there will be no consequences to either family involved -thank God the heroine "accidentally" killed her abuser- otherwise it would have been too bad for her- there are no laws there to protect children from abuse-which is why this book represents everything that is wrong, and the reason my sense of justice woke up and said "Why are you reading this?"
pauliree's review
4.0
Of all the books in this series, I think this is the only one with truly damaged heroes. Lahsin has been systematically raped for the last 3 years by a very much older husband and Tinne has suffered through an emotionally draining divorce, something not done ever on this planet. Of them I think Lahsin has it worse but she seems to recover quicker.
This is a cute story but again, I think it is the world and the people that attract me to this. I could read anything set here. Just love the fams and the flair and that is it.
This is a cute story but again, I think it is the world and the people that attract me to this. I could read anything set here. Just love the fams and the flair and that is it.
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