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The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don't, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.
An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca's confusion at the new world she's been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn't stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers—but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
96,000 words
"I don't want to do this."
"I beg your pardon?" Rebecca cocked her head, staring at Rick through the thin netting of her veil.
Having walked down the long aisle by herself, she now waited for him to take the last step to stand by her side in front of the minister.
He didn't budge. "I—I—don't want to do this." His gaze drifted to the front pew where his mother sat.
"I don't understand." She kept her voice as quiet as she could manage. "What's wrong, honey?"
Rick stood a few steps away in his designer tuxedo and fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other like a naughty child caught coloring on a freshly painted wall. "I changed my mind."
The weight of his words sank in. "Changed your mind? What do you mean 'changed your mind'?" Rebecca tried to ignore the echo of her cry through the cavernous sanctuary.
She was drowning in all of the ruffles and ribbons and crinoline she'd starved herself for almost a year to fit into. The heavy satin dress and layer after layer of petticoats suddenly seemed to swallow her whole.
She was an utter fool.
Aunt Kay sat in place of the parents Rebecca had never known. When Rebecca locked eyes with her, her aunt stared back, sending an expression full of sympathy. She'd tried several times to talk Rebecca out of marrying Rick, claiming he wasn't the right man for her. Aunt Kay had been right. As usual.
The musky smell of the flowers strewn around the church swept over Rebecca. It reminded her of a funeral, mourning the death of what should have been her perfect wedding. The wedding that would see her married and able to start a family. God, how she yearned for her own family. A mom. A dad. A whole passel of kids. Rick always told her he wanted the same things, so she'd ignored the warning bells that constantly nibbled at her. Especially his strange attachment to his puffed-up, self-important, opinionated mommy. Now it had all come home to roost.
The stunned crowd grew so quiet she could hear the nervous breaths whistling through her fiancé's flaring nostrils. A few heartbeats later, the twittering sounds of the guests floated toward the altar.
She should have expected Rick's cold feet. This last week, he'd been withdrawn, not wanting to discuss the wedding plans or hear about the annoying last-minute details she'd had to tackle alone. He'd spent more time talking to his mother than with Rebecca.
She shifted her spray of red roses to her left hand, grabbed her veil with her right and flipped it away from her face. Staring at him, she slowly shook her head. "You don't mean it, honey. You don't really want to..." She took a steadying breath. "You're just—just—nervous, that's all."
A buzz of voices rose louder from the pews. She glanced up to the minister, pleading with her gaze, hoping for some support and guidance. The dark-robed man shifted his wide eyes from Rebecca to Rick and back again.
No help there.
Rebecca focused instead on her reticent fiancé. "Rick, calm down. Look at me." His gaze settled on her, his brown eyes as dull as they usually were when he—
She sniffed the air.
He'd been drinking. Working up his false courage. He'd gotten plastered to go through with this marriage. Her anger rose, but she focused on consoling him. "It's going to be fine."
Rick shook his head and backed away from the altar, moving down one of the four steps that led to the dais.
Feeling a sickening mix of humiliation and anger, she fervently hoped she wouldn't throw up in front of everyone and add to her shame.
Anonymous
Posted September 3, 2012
If you enjoy urban fantasy, this is the book for you. Kick butt heroine. Hard to the bone hero. Unknown evil stalking them at every turn. Loved it! Looking forward to the rest of the series!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sandy-thereadingcafe
Posted May 14, 2013
3.75 stars: THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is the first storyline in Sandy James’ Alliance of the Amazon series. The premise focuses on the background information about a female race of Amazonian elemental warriors-Earth, Water, Air and Fire and, how each member of the Alliance must work together with their fellow ‘sister warriors’ to put a stop to the end of the world. The storyline and series premise also pulls in mythological gods and goddesses, demigods and demons, and a hierarchy of power and control that is tested by the very Amazons trained to defend the world. But as the women are pulled together to locate three of their missing sisters, they will face betrayal and the pain of loss at the hands of one of their own.
Like many supernatural storylines, our heroine is not aware of her heritage or powers until a handsome immortal stranger takes her under his wing. Meeting her fellow warrior sisters, Rebecca soon realizes she is not on the same level of playing field as the others. As an Earth Amazon, it is her heritage to nurture and grow, and she has a difficult time mastering everything that she needs to know. But as the story progresses, Rebecca will discover that she is a leader as well as a warrior, and the others will eventually have to look to Rebecca for guidance and direction. We follow as the Amazon sisters are trained to defend and protect, fight for what they believe and, finally come to the realization that that trust must be earned and should not be given freely.
The relationship between Artair (Highland warrior Sentinel) and Rebecca is immediate but a relationship that may place everyone at risk as Artair’s attention and need to protect Rebecca moves his focus from the women he is supposed to train onto the woman who has stolen his heart. As the history of the Sentinels and Amazons unfolds, we are privy to Artair’s long history with the Amazon warriors and his desire to re-enter the human world. Artair believes it is time he retired but in doing so, he must give up the woman with whom he has fallen in love.
THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is an interesting storyline that blends mythology with a contemporary storyline. The different elemental Amazons are each ruled by a goddess specific to each bloodline, but the goddesses are not without some issues of their own. Sandy James weaves a tale that places an ancient warrior with a modern woman who has yet to discover her true self but when she does sometimes having too much power is never a good thing. The storyline has a little bit of romance, a little bit of sex, a little bit of action as well as betrayal, heartbreak and love. The story does not end on a cliffhanger but with the knowledge that the evil is still out there and the Amazon warriors will be needed once again.see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe(dot)com
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is the first book in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James, and what an amazing first book it was. You know things are going to be good when the story opens on the bride punching the groom because he is jilting her at the alter, in front of all their friends and family - the big momma's boy!
Rebecca Massee is almost your stereotypical earth mother. She is a kindergarten teacher who helps put together and maintain neighborhood garden plots, who dreams of a home of her own with a husband and children. Unfortunately, her husband-to-be jilts her at the alter and shatters her dreams. Just as her wedding and future is falling to pieces, a handsome man in a kilt shows up and tells her to follow him that "it is time." Astair MacKay is the centuries old Sentinel that trains Amazons as they are called up for duty. And Rebecca has just been called up. Each generation has 4 Amazons, Earth, Fire, Water & Air. Whether they are needed is dependent upon the health of the previous Amazons and how many demigods and demons are trying to take over.
After the last world war, the then current Amazons thought that they would be the last generation needed. But when some being strips the powers from an Amazon and then kills her, the 4 goddesses who each sponsor a particular Amazon know that something big coming and calls up the next generation. Astair is planning on retiring from Sentinel duty, but agrees to help the new Sentinel train one last generation. They each take 2 Amazons to train. Astair goes for Rebecca, and as the Earth Amazon, she leads them to the other Amazon nearby, Fire. Typically the Earth Amazon has the role of Guardian for the Amazons and helps to lead the next generation into their powers. But this time the Earth Amazon is missing and Sparks, the last generations Fire has taken on this role. The new Amazons must train and learn to use their powers quickly to try and save the lives of their sisters. At first Astair does everything in his power to make her angry, as this is the typical trigger for the Amazons powers. But he eventually figures out that doesn't work with Becca. Her powers are triggered by another emotion, Love.
I really liked this book. It caught my attention from the very beginning and kept things moving. Where the author could have gone with a cliche, she went with originality. I was kept guessing and was never was quite sure where we were going to end up, but what a ride. The next book is Fire's story. Here's to hoping that it shares in the ups, downs and wild ride of the first. The Reluctant Amazon got a 4 star rating for me on Goodreads.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don't, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.
An immortal, Artair has ...