Sandy M’s review of Fearless (Survival Race, Book 2) by K.M. Fawcett
Fantasy Romance published by Forever Yours 14 Jan 14
I know I say this every time I have to write one of these reviews – I very, very rarely do not finish a book. If nothing else, I try to get all the way through a story that’s giving me fits to be fair to the author and, of course, to see if she can turn me around in my thinking by that last page. Unfortunately, this book can’t make up its mind about what it wants to be, and I just couldn’t stick with it.
As I’ve also said in some of my reviews, I like the paranormal and fantasy genres because it allows authors’ imaginations to go crazy, bringing readers something different than the norm. In this case, though this story is a fantasy and anything and everything should be fair game, I actually ended up confused from the cover, which depicts more a contemporary feel, to the heroine who is a sheltered shaman and suddenly knows how to seduce at the drop of a hat to the hero who is an escaped gladiator slave trying to free other Highlanders still in captivity. I feel as though I’ve been tossed around in a storm and each time I’m dropped down, I’m in a very different place.
Myia is learning to be a shaman from her father, their village shaman. Their people believe in a peaceful existence, and when they’re attacked, their men and boys taken to be forced into the King’s army, Myia is sent to the King to heal his heart, in hopes that will show him his violent ways are unnecessary. Kedric knows if he has a chance to show those who live outside the city all they too could have, they’d choose to live differently and much better than they do now. But, in the meantime, he needs men to fight the Hyboreans to ultimately free those who are forced to fight for that alien race’s entertainment.
Having never been outside her village, Myia is in store for huge eye-opening experiences. Now maybe because of her training, she handles the adventure much better than her age and innocence should dictate. Kedric is totally focused on his ultimate goal, so he’s not that into the little healer who thinks she can make the world better by her forcing her way into his soul. He has his own secrets, and that’s actually the best part of the book for me, his hidden ability to heal. Myia will be astonished at that. He also has to navigate the hatred of the former king’s son, over whom Kedric was chosen to lead their people. Kedric has a lot on his plate, but it doesn’t include Myia.
So that’s when she makes the decision to seduce the man to get what she wants. And this is where I just couldn’t read anymore. I guess at that point I was okay with gladiators and shamans and Scottish Highlanders and aliens acting like Romans, all with a contemporary cover to lead me down yet another path, but a super-innocent girl learning overnight to seduce a hardened warrior – and it works? Even for me, it’s just too much. I wanted nothing more to do with the story after that.
So I quit.
Grade: DNF
Summary:
TWO SOULS
Myia, a shaman-in-training, wants desperately to protect her peaceful village from the barbaric Highland invaders. To hone her powers of prophetic visions and healing, the village elders send Myia on a quest: to heal the Highland warlord’s heart and stop a brewing war. Myia’s mended many souls before, so this should be an effortless duty . . . until she meets the gorgeous, stubborn Highland warlord.
ONE DESIRE
Kedric, a gladiator who escaped enslavement, only wants to liberate the villagers from their common foe—a race that breeds humans for blood sport and genetic experiments. Fueled by his rage, Kedric is determined to take down the brutal enemy. So when a raven-haired beauty with a body made for sin tries to sabotage his mission, Kedric wants her gone. Yet no woman’s touch has ever left Kedric more annoyed . . . and aroused. Kedric knows he should shun her soothing embrace-but he can’t seem to stay away. As their passion grows, Kedric must decide between fighting his war or surrendering his rage—and his heart—for Myia’s love.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
