Heroine Cecily Sutton - is a young half elf with immense powers that terrify her but others see as the great hope of the Rebellion. She wants to have nothing to do with the Rebellion or the country controlled by magic and elven lords. She dreams of a quiet life with a cottage by the sea, a husband, and children. With her sanctuary invaded, her mother killed, and her foster father Thomas missing, Cecily departs on a journey as an extremely naïve girl but reaches the end as a determined woman of great strength, intelligence and compassion.
Hero Giles Beaumont - is a young half elf chosen as Cecily's protector. From the beginning he is warned that Cecily is destined for marriage to a great lord and his low status deems him unworthy. Having lost his father and brother in service to the Rebellion, Giles is more than ready to avenge their deaths and get back to performing adventurous missions for the Rebellion. He is a loyal, vigilant young man whose remarkable physical strength and beauty hides a sharp intellect. At the beginning of his journey, he exploits his beauty without thought making him appear shallow and vain. But along the way Giles learns that true beauty is soul deep and love knows nothing about class or status.
Romance - starts off well enough but never fully develops. After a failed attempt to seduce him leaves Cecily humiliated she decides "love could fool" and "passion blind" and turns her back on any feelings she has for Giles. Giles' believing himself unworthy of her hides his feelings while using his elven beauty to entice girl after girl to his bed while imagining them to be Cecily. Once the journey begins and the pair draws closer, the actions expected of a romantic couple are there but the passion is missing. While somewhat disappointing, Kennedy made up for it in the great role reversals that came into play. Cecily learns what Giles has always known - that life without the protection of class and status is degrading and dangerous. Giles discovers life without physical beauty can be cruel and humiliating.
Plot - This is a Lord of the Rings style journey that takes Cecily and Giles from a seaside village to sprawling cities and majestic castles to a land of wild rogue magic. A doorway to Elfhame - the original home of the elf lords - is discovered and new information comes to light regarding the boundaries of the elven lords' magic. As the half breed daughter to elfin Lord Breden of Dewhame - an elf lord that would destroy her if he knew of her existence - Cecily agrees to sneak into his realm and steal his scepter - a device that if removed could weaken the elf lords. An interesting element to this story is the dragon steeds created by the elf lords. Powerful creatures, they protect their lords but don't really go out of their way to harm the Rebellion. Interesting.
While the romance did not engage my emotions nearly as much as Kennedy's other works, I really was so caught up in the journey and growth of Cecily and Giles that I didn't miss it nearly as much as I thought I would. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes.
Hero Giles Beaumont - is a young half elf chosen as Cecily's protector. From the beginning he is warned that Cecily is destined for marriage to a great lord and his low status deems him unworthy. Having lost his father and brother in service to the Rebellion, Giles is more than ready to avenge their deaths and get back to performing adventurous missions for the Rebellion. He is a loyal, vigilant young man whose remarkable physical strength and beauty hides a sharp intellect. At the beginning of his journey, he exploits his beauty without thought making him appear shallow and vain. But along the way Giles learns that true beauty is soul deep and love knows nothing about class or status.
Romance - starts off well enough but never fully develops. After a failed attempt to seduce him leaves Cecily humiliated she decides "love could fool" and "passion blind" and turns her back on any feelings she has for Giles. Giles' believing himself unworthy of her hides his feelings while using his elven beauty to entice girl after girl to his bed while imagining them to be Cecily. Once the journey begins and the pair draws closer, the actions expected of a romantic couple are there but the passion is missing. While somewhat disappointing, Kennedy made up for it in the great role reversals that came into play. Cecily learns what Giles has always known - that life without the protection of class and status is degrading and dangerous. Giles discovers life without physical beauty can be cruel and humiliating.
Plot - This is a Lord of the Rings style journey that takes Cecily and Giles from a seaside village to sprawling cities and majestic castles to a land of wild rogue magic. A doorway to Elfhame - the original home of the elf lords - is discovered and new information comes to light regarding the boundaries of the elven lords' magic. As the half breed daughter to elfin Lord Breden of Dewhame - an elf lord that would destroy her if he knew of her existence - Cecily agrees to sneak into his realm and steal his scepter - a device that if removed could weaken the elf lords. An interesting element to this story is the dragon steeds created by the elf lords. Powerful creatures, they protect their lords but don't really go out of their way to harm the Rebellion. Interesting.
While the romance did not engage my emotions nearly as much as Kennedy's other works, I really was so caught up in the journey and growth of Cecily and Giles that I didn't miss it nearly as much as I thought I would. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes.
