I realized it was worth a few more words to flesh out my reaction to Knave’s Wager/Sandalwood Princess and If Angels Burn, so here it is.
First, If Angels Burn is a fantastic read but may not meet reader’s expectations if they’re expecting a traditional romance. It’s fantasy with a strong romance plot, not romance with a strong fantasy plot. Unlike most fantasy with a romance plot, though, there’s a lot more space given to the hero/heroine relationship and I found it a very satisfying romance. But I also expected a lot of space to be given to other characters, given that it’s a series, and on the external plot beyond the romance, so I wasn’t disappointed. Crossover readers who also enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold (Shards of Honor, A Civil Campaign) will love the mix of real romance within a big story with lots of fascinating characters besides the hero and heroine who are much more than placeholders.
Next, Knave’s Wager/Sandalwood was gripping enough to keep me distracted while I was in labor; not a dull read! While Sandalwood Princess is far and away my favorite of the two stories, the reason I didn’t love the hero in Knave’s Wager was something built into the plot. His acceptance of a wager to seduce the heroine was the plot device that brought them together. And it was also why I didn’t respect him. He deliberately set out to seduce her, knowing that if he succeeded it would ruin her life. And not just her life, but the lives of her nieces who depended on her to get them launched into society and settled into good marriages. So it’s a built in flaw, but otherwise the story is an excellent read and like I said, intersting enough to keep my attention through labor. I think the reason it still works is due to the secondary romance and the secondary characters. It’s not entirely focused on The Flaw.
My reading frenzy goes on!
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