After resigning his position as Captain of the Thirty-Third Regiment of Foot in Her Majesty Queen Victoria's army, Gabriel Huntley thought he would find a lovely wife and quiet life as a cloth merchant in Leeds. Within moments of stepping foot in England, he finds himself embroiled in an unequal battle defending a stranger. After the man saves Gabriel's life at the expense of his own, Gabriel vows to fulfill his final request-- travel to Outer Mongolia and repeat a cryptic phrase to a gent named Franklin Burgess.

Despite her gentle birth, Thalia Burgess has known little but the freedom of the northern Mongolian steppes. Her father, Franklin, is a member of the Blades of the Rose, a secret society sworn to keep sacred and safe the Sources, artifacts responsible for much of the magic in the world. The Heirs are a group of Englishmen who wish only to harness the power of the artifacts for selfish and world-conquering purposes. When Gabriel Huntley appears and relates a warning from another Blade, Thalia knows the Heirs cannot be far behind. Her father is healing from a badly broken leg, so it is up to Thalia to find and secure the Source in the harsh beauty of the steppes.

WARRIOR is one of the best books I have read in years. Zoe Archer pens a blood-pounding paranormal adventure woven through with humor, hardship, and a romance based in earthy sensuality. Her research is impeccable, bringing to life a little-known time and place so vividly the reader falls a little in love with the setting as well as the characters. Unlike many historical romances set in the Victorian Era, the hero is a commoner, a man who earned an officer's rank through grit and his own moral code. Gabriel's rough edges are not gentled by society manners but are a perfect match for Thalia's warrior heart. This is a story that will linger in my mind; and thank all the gods, there are more books in the Blades of the Rose series heading our way this fall.