Friday, November 21, 2014

Review and Giveaway: Heart Fire

Heart Fire (Celta HeartMate - Book 13) by Robin D. Owens

Publication Date: 11/04/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Sensation
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 368
ISBN-10: 0425263959
ISBN-13: 978-0425263952

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Sensation)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Indiebound

Robin D. Owens on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Books in the series

Celta HeartMate

  1. Heart Mate
  2. Heart Thief
  3. Heart Duel
  4. Heart Choice
  5. Heart Quest
  6. Heart Dance
  7. Heart Fate
  8. Heart Change
  9. Heart Journey
10. Heart Search
11. Heart Secret
12. Heart Fortune
13. Heart Fire

Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.




Excerpt from, Heart Fire, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

On the planet Celta, accepting a HeartMate can be the greatest challenge in the universe… 

Antenn, an architect hired to build a cathedral in Druida City, dares not think of his HeartMate. Even though he yearns for her, he’s taken steps to ensure she will be forever unknown to him. After all, how could he, a commoner who grew up in the slums, the brother of a murderer, be worthy of any woman?

Tiana, a priestess, has her own fears about being a HeartMate. She's watched her friends struggle with such a stormy destiny. She's sure her HeartMate has never claimed her due to a terrible scandal involving her Family, and she's set aside hopes for love.

Antenn's gotten the commission of his life. The cathedral will make him famous, but more, it will last for ages and prove to others he can contribute to Celta...if the controversial structure isn't destroyed while being built. Tiana, too, is an integral part of this process, but the villain who wrecked her Family is ready with firebombs. Can they trust each other in dangerous circumstances to succeed...and to love?


Thoughts:

Robin D. Owens continues her Celta HeartMate series with Heart Fire. This is the thirteenth book in the series based on the futuristic world of Celta, where colonists from Earth have settled seeking an end to egotism and bigotry. The world building is extensive and with so many books in the series a read might feel they need to start at the beginning but Owens does a great job of catching the reader up in order for Heart Fire to be enjoyed as a stand alone. A great new book, in this long standing series.

What I liked:

This is my first Celta book and as usual when it is a long lived series I wonder if I will be able to do the review justice without knowing a lot about the background of the series. In this case, I felt that Robin D. Owens was able to clue the reader in without too much background narration. Even though it is book thirteen I had no trouble getting into the book and understanding exactly what was going on. I did however want to know more about the this amazing world that Owens has created. Which means I want to go back and read the other twelve and you will too.

The socio-political system in this book was not hard to understand. Colonist's left Earth seeking a better world. A place where tolerance was encouraged and where superiority and elitism were not. What they got was an evolving society still based on the same old prejudices and narrow mindedness. The first families become the upper echelon and everyone else is inferior. The two main characters in Heart Fire, Antenn and Tiana have skeletons and scandals in their pasts that put them at the bottom of the totem pole. I loved reading about what happened in their pasts that put them in this standing and how they have overcome so much.

The concept of the heart mate was also an easy idea to grasp. Two people who are meant for each other and destined to be together are heart mates, however it is possible to choose not to take your heart mate and that is what Antenn intends to do because he feels unworthy because of his past. Tiana believes her heart mate hasn't chosen her because of her past. It becomes this a very clouded issue for both of them, but their attraction to each other is so strong they can't deny what is going on between them. I loved watching them and developing relationship they build.

Antenn has been given the job of building an amazing cathedral for Druida City and a lot of the action and mystery of the book surround that project which both he and Tiana are a part of. I thought Owens did a fantastic job of making the romance central to the story but also leaving room for this part of the book to give readers other points of interest. It was interesting to see all of the side stories coming together that made the final moments of the book so climatic. 

Bottom Line:

I enjoyed many of the secondary characters including RatKiller, and I found myself wondering about which of these characters have already had their story told and if there was room for more. I don't think Robin D. Owens is stopping anytime soon with this one or at least I hope she isn't. A great overall concept with the heart mates and the long standing arc involving the first families. Looking forward to backtracking and seeing what I've missed.

Heart Fire is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




About the Author:


Robin D. Owens is the RITA Award-winning author of the Celta novels including, Heart Fortune, Heart SearchHeart JourneyHeart ChangeHeart Fate, and Heart Dance. She lives in Colorado.


Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Heart Fire by Robin D. Owens.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, December 5th.

1. Please leave a comment. Ever felt unworthy or someone or something?

2. Please fill out the FORM.

7 comments:

traveler said...

Yes, everyday and most of my life. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

lag123 said...

No. I can't say that I have.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

Kimberly Sue said...

I've felt unworthy before in past relationships...but usually b/c the person I was in a relationship with made me feel unworthy :/...
kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

jmcgaugh said...

No, not in the way you mean.

Unknown said...

I haven't ever felt unworthy because I'm happy for who I am but I am grateful for those in my life and strive to be everything I can for them.

Texas Book Lover said...

After two years of unemployment I was definitely feeling that way!

bn100 said...

No, never