Gwen’s review of Temptation of the Warrior by Margo Maguire
Historical paranormal romance released by Avon 25 Mar 08

Holy smokes! This was a really fun book! Paranormal, regency historical, action, romance, time-travel. All of it between just two covers. It was like going to a really good Chinese buffet where you can eat anything you want.

This is not your typical romance. A warrior chieftain and high-magic user time-travels, loses his memory, falls in love, fights the bad guys, gets his memory back, fights some more bad guys, etc. The down-on-her-luck regency heroine never quits trying, never quits striving for something more, and is never daunted by her circumstances. Okay – that last is a bit typical, but work with me here.

This was a real page-turner for me. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. When would the hero get his memory back. When would he realize the heroine had special powers too. When would the really, super bad guys (as compared to the normal bad guys who are also chasing them) catch up to them. I carried this book every I went and stole a page here and there every chance I got.

The action only bogged down a bit for me when the author cut to the scenes without the h/h – scenes of the hero’s homeland where his cousin is fighting the really, super bad guys. There wasn’t much fighting and it was a little confusing how much time they could afford to wait for the hero to regain his memory.

I liked how multidimensional the author made even the secondary characters and scenery. This was a nice, meaty story I could really sink my teeth into. All parts of the book were fully fleshed out and nothing seemed to be given short-shrift.

I haven’t read the previous book in this unnamed series, A Warrior’s Taking. I might have understood more back-story if I had read Taking, but the lack wasn’t fatal to enjoying this book. By the way, Taking has a very old-style cover, though it was published just last June. If Temptation had a cover like that, I don’t think I’d have ever read it.

I recommend this unique book to fans of paranormal romance, fantasy romance, or historical romance (much of it has little to no paranormal elements).

Grade:B+

Summary:

981 A.D. … To protect his people from a great evil, Merrick MacLochlainn, newly crowned high chieftain of his clan, must travel forward in time nearly 1,000 years. But when he awakens in 19th Century England, he has no memory of his mission to save his race, nor can he recognize Jenny Keating, the spirited young beauty who calls herself his wife.

1826 A.D. …Orphaned and on the run from a cruel headmaster, vulnerable and alone, Jenny never dreamed of being rescued by any man, much less a chivalrous and handsome warrior like Merrick. Drawn to his powerful physique and mysterious ways, she begins a dangerous deception and poses as his beloved. But her feelings of desire are all too real. Together they will battle a dark threat that jeopardizes their very lives, all the while tempting each other with a pasison too powerful to resist.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: