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Radiance: Volume 1 (Wraith Kings)

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Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart. The story of Ildiko and Brishen has everything an epic romance of this type requires…It all adds up to a perfect combination of fantasy and romance I have not seen since her masterpiece Master of Crows. The other woman’s lip curled in disgust. Ugly bastards. All of them. What would they know of beauty? She realized the insult in her remark. I’m sure your groom will be different and appreciate how lovely you are. One of Brishen’s eyebrows slid upward. “I thought we were hag and dead eel. I think I like those comparisons more.” He shoved his barely-touched potato to the edge of his plate with his knife tip, upper lip curled in revulsion to reveal a gleaming white fang. Radiance is a romance story set in the world of fantasy. While both Ildiko and Brishen are repulsed, at first sight, they connect in mind and spirit. Unlike most stories on forced marriages, this one is different as the two do not hate each other from the beginning. Both are open-minded, and while they start as platonic friends, they connect deeply over time. It is refreshing that the two lovebirds overcome many obstacles and see beyond their differences. The love scenes are epic, and sparks fly as the passion between the duo escalates.

You don’t feel the entire scope of the book and thematic arc when you read it in installments. I mean, it’s great and you are hooked and can’t wait for the next installment. But just like binge watching Breaking Bad from the first episode to the last, the picture becomes so clear and you can marvel at each piece of the puzzle, pull it out and examine it and you’re like, my god, it’s bloody brilliant! How the hell did they do that? She strolled leisurely along a winding path that meandered past bubbling ponds filled with large goldfish as tame as dogs, regiments of poisonous foxglove in every color and hue, and clusters of orange butterfly vine draped over trellises and swarmed by hummingbirds. Willow trees hugged the shores of the larger ponds, creating canopies of green shade that sheltered ferns and silver-leafed lungwort. Ildiko had spent many a quiet hour as a child hidden behind a willow’s drape, reading a pilfered book in the dappled light that spilled through the branches. The way she said wedding—in the same way someone might have said execution or torture session—made him sputter with laughter. He had no doubt he’d uttered the same word in the exact same tone recently. Grace Draven is an American author of science fiction, romance, short stories, and fantasy books. she has a good number of fantasy novels under her name. She’s enjoyed storytelling since she was a young girl, and this is evident throughout her writing. Grace has lived in Spain, Scotland and hiked the Teton Mountains. She enjoys exploring Texas outdoors together with her husband and her dogs.Yet, despite all their obvious differences they bond through their humour and the first time they meet had me laughing really hard. Those two are nothing but honest with each other and I loved this so much! They might have totally different cultures, habits and appearances but they are both kind and merry souls. XD Their relationship starts with mutual understanding and at first it’s nothing more than friendship. It was something I really appreciated because they like what’s inside of each other and therefore try to ignore their outside appearances. Well, at least at first.

The premise of the book is nothing new: royalty of different nations must wed to bring an alliance to each of their nations and eventually they fall in love. Even with the differences in cultures (because, well, one is human and the other is not – which I thought would be way cooler than it was) this story isn’t new, exciting, or different. The girl was too perfect: beautiful but humble, selfless, loyal, funny, empathetic, trusting, and generally just good. The guy was too perfect: handsome, kind, honest, tender, funny, loyal, understanding, and selfless. The evil mother-in-law that the girl is of course brave enough to not be cowed by. The instant connection between the main characters. The humor that only served to play into the perfectness that is our couple. Their guest of honor didn’t share their dislike of either food. As deft as any Kai, Serovek made short work of the scarpatine and its whipping tail, cleaved open the shell with his knife and took a generous bite of the steaming gray meat.

Publication Order of Anthologies

I guess you can say that this hideously ugly book cover is just like the story. Horrible, even to the point of embarrassing-looking on the outside, but amazing and beautiful within. I must admit, this was really something different! *lol* I mean the book blurb already suggested that this wasn’t going to be your ordinary love story but wow, this one was really something else. XD The concept of arranged marriages between different countries is nothing new, in this case however it aren’t just dissimilar kingdoms but also different species our two protagonists have to deal with. Ildiko is human and Brishen is Kai and I’m pretty sure they couldn’t be any more different even if they tried. Had she asked him what he thought of Sangur’s armory, he might have waxed more eloquent. He shrugged. There are plants and flowers and trees. He paused and offered her a pained smile she surely couldn’t see within the depths of his hood. And a lot of sunshine.

I don’t understand anything that happened at the end though and urgh I guess I might just have to read the second book?! *lol* Well done, Grace Draven! ;-P Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

I've loved storytelling since forever. I published my first short story with Amber Quill Press and have since written several other tales. A love of the bad boy in fiction always inspires me. I'm an author and Louisiana native living in Texas with my husband, three smalls and a big doofus dog. I have lived in Spain, hiked the Teton Mountains, honeymooned in Scotland, ridden in competition rodeo and am the great great granddaughter of a Nicaraguan president. I also hate doing laundry and refuse to iron anything.

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