Heart Change

originally posted at: www.longandshortreviews.blogspot.com ***** I loved this romantic tale about a lonely woman with a battered sense of self-worth finding out not only does she have a future, but her innate gifts will save that which she holds most dear. Signet is a woman of means, a modicum of status in Celtan society and without purpose. Every person, to one extent or another, has a talent that betters their respective communities and society as a whole. Everyone except Signet and it's wearing her down. Right away the author had me sympathizing with the heroine. This is the eighth book in the Heart series and it completely stands on its own. Ms. Owens has created an astoundingly vibrant, rich, and busy world populated by Earth's descendants. They don't have technology like we know it. It's powered by psi-talent and incredibly powerful. Because it has become so commonplace, it's become a standard of life and a lot of importance hinges on what kind of talent a person develops. It's eagerly looked forward to and anticipated with a mixture of hopefulness compounded with fear and anxiety of the unknown. Not everyone survives when their talents bloom, like an exploding flower. That is one of the conflicts of Heart Change - a child in her first psi Passage is in danger but no one that they know of can help her and the girl's parents are frantic. The other conflict is with Signet and it's mostly internal. At first she's despondent, and then a friend of hers visits with news that proves an exceptional boon to her aching heart. However, this information is a good news/bad news kind of thing. She is charged with a duty that will either destroy her, and others, or will be the realization of a dream she'd thought long dead. In dealing with the situation, Signet exhibits, courage, fear, wonder, elation, love and lust. It's not a simple journey and it forces her to grow as a person as she handles the revelation of what her talent actually is and what it can do. I could relate to a lot of her concerns because Ms. Owens imbues her characters with a real feel, an in-depth connection that reaches a reader's emotions. On top of that, there is Cratag. He's a tortured man who so desperately wants to fit in and belong. The author let me see into his background to understand where the man was coming from. In doing so, Ms. Owens created another character that grabbed my heartstrings and would not let go. He's fought for so much, and lost pieces of himself along the way. Cratag is a man I wanted to see happy, but with a man like him, I knew it would not be easy. He's gruff and grunted a lot, which I actually liked. It fit his personality. He could be tender and he could be ruthless because he was at heart, a warrior. You wouldn't think a battle-hardened man would be comfortable in a peach colored, pastel filled home and yet his adjustment process was part of his charm that hooked me even more. The external conflict was foreshadowed, but the author did a great job at being sneaky. She dropped a bit of misdirection, so when the bad guy eventually showed up I was as stunned as the main characters. I stared boggle-eyed at the scene where it was revealed. I love surprise twists and the author sure delivered. Even if a reader never enjoyed the previous books in the series, all the name-dropping here from characters I've met before will not detract or confuse. The author is a master at balancing the current story with just enough basic info from

In Celta, GrandLady Signet D'Marigold is lonely as the last surviving member of her proud family. However, to make matters worse, her talent remains undefined. That is unheard of until thirteen year old prophet GreatLord Vinni proclaims her to a major catalyst for change. Vinni needs Signet's help with his seven years old heartmate Avellana Hazel; the child's brain has been damaged and chances of surviving her first passage are nonexistent unless Signet takes the risk of assisting her. GreatLord T'Hawthorn's security chief Cratag Maytree is chosen to protect the two females during the flair. None of the participants were expecting an attraction between Signet and Cratag, but as that ignites someone wants to destroy all of those involved. Readers will relish the latest Heart realm romantic fantasy as the lead couple falls in love while trying to save a child's life. The story line is character driven as Robin D. Owens goes deep inside family relationships on Celta with a poignant passionate tale that resonates with its health issue timeliness. Robin D. Owens' latest as is the case with the magnificent seven predecessors is filled with Heart as the concern is the child's welfare first. Harriet Klausner

It's one you will read more than once!

The stories keep getting better . I really love that the author keeps the thread of other stories woven throughout each new novel.