Alanna is the princess and Liam is the fierce knight saving her from the rogue Brendan. You can hear the giggles as "Lana" finds a hiding place behind a large tree as she and her two cousins play their favorite game. But, then she is called inside to learn that her father has accepted a job that will have them moving away from everything she loves she is heartbroken.
Nine years later, Alanna is going through the attic looking through her mother's stored items looking for anything that may help her in her Celtic studies at school. Her mother had died three years ago from a brain aneurysm and she was eager to learn more of her family history.
As she is going through boxes she finds old papers with crests and pedigree lineage and a large wooden chest with brass filigree designs that embellished the corners of the lid. Brass medallion Celtics knots each adored with a moon stone. Once she was able to get inside the chest she finds silver trinkets, a small dagger, carved wooden stick, a mirror, chalice and a variety of crystals and gems. There was also a bound black leather book with silver symbols depicting 2 crescent moons which seemed to be written in Gaelic.
As she is sitting in class she hears her name being called over the intercom. She rushes to the principal's office wondering what she could have done and is dismayed to find two police officers waiting for her. Her father had been killed in a robbery at their home. The only thing that consoled her was that her aunt and uncle were arriving for the funeral to take her home to live with them. She had missed her cousins and couldn't wait to see them again.
Making sure to grab the documents and bound book to travel with her she packed what she needed for her move to the other side of Australia. The remaining items in the house, including the items in the attic, would be packed up and shipped.
Liam and Brendan are speechless when they realize that Alanna's mother has kept her in the dark about her heritage. Not only is Alanna a mage, but the last in the line of powerful Winter's women.
I absolutely loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and totally relatable. Laelia Starla did a wonderful job making me feel part of this story. There are a wide range of characters in this book and we get to know them intimately as this story unfolds and is told in several POVs.
I love Alanna. She doesn't fall into a depression after the death of both of her parents and is determined to learn all she can about her heritage. Her learning that she is a mage is an eye opening experience for her literally when she learns how to lift the veil hiding a person's true identity and finding herself looking at all manner of creatures that before looked like normal human boys and girls.
Liam and Brendan may be brothers, but they have totally different personalities. The one thing that they both have in common is their love of Alanna, but Liam has given his man-whore brother a warning to keep his hands off Alanna.
This book is action packed from the start of the story. It builds up to a danger that you know is coming from a very unexpected source and people that Alanna thought she could trust turn out to be traitors who want to harm her. I love the friendships in this book and their dedication to each other and even those who don't really like each other band together when needed.
This book is steamy hot and full of intrigue and danger. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens next. Highly recommend this book! Laelia Starla has pulled me into the wonderful world of mages and Alanna's journey to find her full powers.
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I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the wonderful review.
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