Veena’s review of The Sea King (Weathermages of Mystral, Book 2) by C.L. Wilson
Fantasy Romance published by Avon 31 Oct 17
Dilys Merimydion, prince of the island kingdom of Calberna, was promised a magical princess of Summerlea in return for his aid to the Winter Kingdom. The advisers of the court have long deliberated which princess is best suited to their prince. But the heart chooses what the heart chooses, and Dilys will have the princess of his heart, never mind her reluctance to be his or her unsuitability in the eyes of his advisers.
This book, while a long time in the coming, is definitely well worth the wait. Ms. Wilson’s sweeping tale of magic and sorcery will capture your imagination and take you along for a fantastic ride. Dilys is such a gentleman, vowing to make Summer feel like one of his choices, even when he knows that her sister Autumn is the best choice for him. Summer is just as determined to avoid Dilys, even as he makes her body come alive when she’s in his proximity. Afraid of how Dilys makes her feel, Summer uses her strong gift of persuasion to influence Dilys into looking away from her as a possible choice. It is definitely not Dilys’ best moment when the sisters express his frustration against his hot dreams of Summer, calling her a boring glass of water and a weak milk tea. Those comments sure haunt Dilys throughout the book.
No matter how hard Dilys tries to ignore Summer and court her sisters, she sneaks into his thoughts at the oddest moments and compels him to warn his friends away from Summer. Then a terrible incident exposes Summer’s secrets to the world. It seems that Summer is a legendary Siren who has the power to compel with her voice and the island people of Calberna are especially vulnerable to her magic. Dilys is bound by love and duty to win Summer as his princess bride. Initiall, an impetuous, Dilys uses the sexual chemistry between them to court Summer and scares her. But he learns from his mistakes and changes his approach. So begins a slow and sweet courtship with insightful courting gifts that leave the entire palace agog and readers chucking and rooting for Dilys.
Duty calls Dilys away from his courtship, forcing him to sail away and leave his beautiful princess behind and susceptible to an evil plot that gets the three sisters kidnapped. I read with bated breath, waiting for Summer to be rescued before she’s subjected to the degrading and depraved treatment at the hands of her kidnappers. I cheered when Summer perseveres against all odds and manages to rescue herself. Yay, Summer! Evil, however, is still afoot, and, in true fantasy quest fashion, Summer and Dilys need to overcome a few more challenges before they can get to their happily ever after.
It’s fun to catch up with Wynter and Khamsin from the Winter King and share in their love and happiness. I loved the interactions and protectiveness of the sisters to each other, including Wynter into their folder. Just in case there isn’t enough excitement in the reading, the author adds a second epilogue to drop a bombshell and leave the story on a cliffhanger. I am eagerly waiting to read what happens next.
Grade: A
Summary:
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Winter King comes a breathtaking new tale of love and adventure set in the mystical land of Mystral
He wasn’t supposed to choose her…
Seafaring prince Dilys Merimydion has been invited to court the three magical princesses of Summerlea. To eradicate the pirates threatening Calberna and to secure the power of the Sea Throne, Dilys vows to return home with a fierce warrior-queen as his bride. But politics has nothing to do with unexpected temptation.
She didn’t dare wed him…
A weathermage like her sisters, Gabriella Coruscate’s gentleness exemplifies the qualities of her season name, Summer. Yet her quiet poise conceals dangerous powers she cannot begin to wield. Better to live without excitement, she reasons, than risk her heart and lose control—until an irresistible Sealord jolts her awake with a thunderclap of raw desire.
Until evil threatens everything they hold dear…
When pirates kidnap Summer and her sisters, Dilys begins a desperate quest to save the woman he loves. Only by combining his command of the seas with the unleashed fury of Summer’s formidable gifts can they defeat their brutal enemies and claim the most priceless victory of all: true love.
Other books in this series:
