A review by thenia
Heart Duel by Robin D. Owens

3.0

The story of star-crossed lovers Holm Holly, heir of the notorious fighter clan, and Lark Collinson, healer and first daughter of the clan feuding with the Hollys.

Lark hates fighting and cannot see how she could ever have anything lasting with Holm, who knows that she is his heartmate and is determined to win her. The attraction between them is obvious and Lark can't resist him, but at the same time is too much of a coward to even consider giving them a chance.

I kept waiting for Lark to come around and stop being such an idiot, but that barely happened at the very end, when

Spoiler

Holm's world comes crushing down when his father disowns him for claiming her as his heartmate

.



Too little too late and with a bittersweet kind of happy ending, which I didn't particularly enjoy, as

Spoiler

Holm and Lark end up moving away, since Holm's father did not come around and his mother apparently went with his stupid decision to disown him, which felt out of character for both of them, especially considering that Lark helped save her. Holm's father's animosity, while understandable while his heartmate was at death's door, did not abate even after her full recovery and a public apology by the other clan

.

I'm enjoying the world of the series and I'm hoping the next one, [b:Heart Choice|1244290|Heart Choice (Celta's Heartmates, #4)|Robin D. Owens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388350894s/1244290.jpg|1233002], will be better.