About the Book
There is nothing in life that eighteen-year-old Zara craves more than her freedom. Stolen from her home in Cadrebia at the age of eight, Zara has spent more years than she cared to admit as a slave to the Tankadesh courts. Her days are filled with protecting the princess, while she spends nights entertaining the king and his officials with her mastery of weapons. Any spare moment in between, she plots escape.
Yet her hopes for freedom come to a crashing halt when a stranger arrives bearing the mark of her assigned lifemate, and he threatens war if she isn’t turned over into his care. But a lifemate is not part of the plan. Her dreams, of choosing her own path and being the master of her own will, weaken as her Moon seeks to claim his Sun.
Is it possible that this stranger, with gentle blue eyes and a ready smile, didn’t come to be her new master? That there could be more to his tale?
Zara soon finds that neither her captivity nor her parents’ deaths were mere random attacks. And by returning to Cadrebia, she may have put the future of the royal line—and her Moon—in jeopardy. While Zara breathes in her first taste of freedom, her enemies move in, seeking to rob Cadrebia of its blessed prophecy.
To keep what she holds dear, Zara must rise above the pain and uncertainty to claim the lifemate assigned to her, or more than her freedom will be stolen this time.
Purchase a Copy:
My Rating
Spring
My Review
I love the way Desiree Williams writes romance! The heroes and heroines in her fantasy novels (at least the ones I've experienced so far) always have these deep, tender, fun, and loyal connections. There seems to be a theme of arranged/appointed matches (of a sort) in these stories, and it's intriguing to watch the characters decide how they're going to react to their potential partner and whether they're willing to open up to the possibility of true love.
I believe the beginning of Sun and Moon was my favorite part of the story: the anticipation of Zara and Jaedon's first meeting, the mystery of how Zara's terrible situation as a slave would get resolved, the clash of two very different worlds when Jaedon sets out to bring home his soul mate, and the suspense reminiscent of the Exodus in the Bible.
Jaedon's protectiveness and patience are definitely swoon-worthy. And Zara's devotion to her friends and her desire for freedom are admirable and make her character likable, even if she has a lot of walls around her heart.
The thread of suspense stretches throughout the story, although I felt a little less excited by the developments and build-up toward the end than I did by the epic tension at the beginning. But this is a sweet and solid tale, and those who enjoy innocent, romance-focused fantasy with some relational drama should find Sun and Moon a delightful read.
*With thanks to the author for providing me with an e-ARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*
About the Author
Desiree Williams is a dreamer by day and chocoholic by night. She lives in the beautiful state of Kentucky with her husband and daughter, where she juggles life as a wannabe supermom. Desiree is a lover of food and avoider of dirty dishes. She delights in making people laugh and strives to bring hope and love with her wherever she goes. You can find out more about Desiree and her books at www.desireewilliamsbooks.blogspot.com.
Excerpt
See if this intriguing snippet doesn't make you eager to read more!
* * *
The king’s design for her enslavement was to do more than entertain. He wanted everyone to covet his possessions, to be envious of all that he owned. And what better way to promote jealousy and strife than for the people to lust after it.
Zara lifted the swords, the chill of the metal hilts seeping through the leather of her gloves, cooling the heat from the mark. The blades clanked across the tiles as she dragged the tips outward.
A man entered the arena from a hall on the left side, opposite the one she’d come from. A mask of gold covered his face and head, leaving only his eyes visible. She didn’t have to look hard to know those green eyes belonged to Dareh. He always found a way to be her sparring partner during these types of festivities. At least he got to be more clothed than she was. A crimson vest covered his chest and torso while leather breeches protected his legs.
Dareh stepped into position, facing her. His knees bent and he held his swords tucked at his side, pointing away from her.
Zara sighed. Maybe they could end this quickly, and she could be done with this horrible evening. She shifted into her own battle stance, crouching with one foot behind her and hating how the holes in her trousers splayed over her legs. Pointing one sword at Dareh, she arched the other high over her head.
They waited for the music to begin again to signal the start of their mock battle. Except this time, something very different broke the silence.
“Raise that sword against her, and I will remove your head.”
Giveaway!
Enter to win a signed paperback copy of Sun and Moon and a $15 Amazon gift card! The winner of the giveaway will be selected randomly via Rafflecopter and announced on Facebook and Twitter the morning of May 2, 2016 at around 9am EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
