Arora of the Shifterai and her sister Mara have traveled far and wide to escape those who want to do them harm. Mara can shift change into animals while Arora can read a person's aura and feed off their emotions. These two women are very powerful and if caught by a power-hungry mage, they will be used to cause destruction and become tools for evil. The sisters are able to find a safe haven in a distance land where they hope they now can be safe. But they are not aware of the eight brothers who are cursed and have been exiled on this same land. Aurora will be in for quite the surprise because she will meet her intended mate.

Rydan of Corvis prefers to be by himself and live like a hermit, even away from his family. Most of his brothers have found their mates and have married, whereas Rydan is still without one. His one brother, Morganen wants Rydan to find his mate because he longs for his own. He speeds along Rydan and Aurora's meeting with some magic, and before long Arora meets Rydan as she goes exploring around her new home. She finds a cave and notices a man sleeping there. Even though she should run away, she can't help but watch him sleep. He grabs her and pulls her down with him on his bed because he is in the middle of an intense sensual dream and begins to act out his fantasy with Arora. Rydan is able to wake before he goes too far with the young maiden.

Aurora and Mara are accepted by all those who live on Nightfall Island. Rydan wants nothing to do with these two sisters even though his body longs for Arora's touch. But Rydan mistakenly thinks that Arora is meant for his older brother and feels both guilt and jealousy. And when he finds out that Arora is indeed for him, he must decide if he is willing to accept his destiny and help Arora unlock her magic she tries to keep dormant or turn away from her and all those who care about him because of the emotional walls he has place upon himself.

If you are a fan of Jean Johnson's Sons of Destiny series, you will not want to miss out on this latest installment, with THE STORM. The hero of this tale, Rydan, is one of the most tortured of all the brothers and most readers will feel for his pain. This is a man who hates large groups of people and prefers to be a loner. But the joy in reading, is watching as those emotional walls he has placed upon himself crumble as Arora comes into his life. Arora is one woman who can see inside his soul and why he acts the way he does. She becomes the pursuer in their relationship and won't let him go without a fight. And if you are a big fan of strong heroines, THE STORM is the perfect read for you.

Jean Johnson has quite the following with this series and I can see why because she is so skilled at writing unique and engaging characters with magic and adventure. THE STORM is one interesting read that will leave you longing for much more.