"The treacherous Court of Annwyn delivers again."
Reviewed by Jennifer Barnhart
Posted December 28, 2013
Romance Paranormal
Taryn merch Arlea might be a fairy but she was raised in the
human world, far away from the Court of Annwyn and its
dangerous court games. She would have stayed in the mortal
world forever, but Annwyn is sickening. The King is losing
his control of the kingdom and Annwyn's endless summer is
slowly turning to winter. Any fairy who isn't in Annwyn when
the final shift takes place will die; including Taryn's
father who was exiled from Annwyn and her mother who refuses
to leave her father's side. Taryn must go to the King and
beg for a pardon, but is she prepared to pay any cost to
secure her father's life. Verden, Lord of the Hunt, serves
the King in all ways, but Taryn's innocence in the
duplicitous ways of the Court spark a desire to protect that
puts him in danger of breaking his vow to the King. Verden
can't ignore his growing desire for Taryn any more than he
can abandon his duty to his king, but he will have to make a
choice and the wrong one could destroy both Annwyn and the
mortal world.
LORD OF THE HUNT by Shona Husk is the second novel in the
world of Annwyn. One of the aspects that I enjoy in this
series is how Ms. Husk shows multiple ways of life. In The
Outcast Prince, she built the relationship between the human
world and Annwyn. In LORD OF THE HUNT, she showcases more of
the fairy realm, especially the workings of the Court, but
she also gives us glimpses of fairy lives which shun the
treacherous court games for a simpler existence doing what
they love. I really appreciate that she delved into the
lives of everyday humans and fairies because the intricacies
of Court life can be overwhelming. Ms. Husk does capture the
dangerous and deadly nature that comes with a life of
duplicity and half-truths. Verden and Taryn must navigate
that deadly world as they fall in love. It is their moments
away from Court that are both incredibly sweet and sexy and
push this story into more than a romance that could shatter
their carefully made plans.
LORD OF THE HUNT by Shona Husk continues to deliver
intriguing characters, beautiful settings, treacherous power
plays, and steamy encounters in her Annwyn trilogy. I can't
wait for the final book in this series To Love a King to be
released.
SUMMARY
Their love could destroy a powerful reign and change the
mortal world forever Raised in the mortal world, the fairy Taryn never planned on
going back to Annwyn, much less to court. But with the power
shift imminent, she is her parents' only hope of securing a
pardon from exile and avoiding certain death. Verden, Lord
of the Hunt, swore to serve the King. But as the magic of
Annwyn fails and the Prince makes ready to take the throne,
Verden knows his days as Hunter are numbered. When Taryn and
Verden meet, their attraction is instant and devastating.
Their love could bring down a Queen and change the mortal
world forever.
ExcerptA lean white dog with red tips on its ears and tail wandered
in to her alcove. She quickly wiped away her tears and held
out her hand. The dog trotted over for a sniff, and then a
second dog rounded the corner. How many were there? Before
she had time to fear the dogs, the gray-eyed man stood in
front of her.
He leaned against a tree and smiled. “Now why would a
Lady just back at Court be so sad?”
She searched his smoky gray eyes for a hint at his
intent, but saw no malice.
“You leave a lover behind?” He took a step closer and the
alcove seemed to grow smaller around them.
Who was this Lord? His clothing wasn’t brightly colored
and it didn’t glitter with gems, and yet this close, she
could see that the fabric was covered in delicate stitches
that shimmered in the light. The cuffs of his shirt were
undone, the ties dangling. His dark brown hair was pulled
back, but strands fell around his face, softening his
otherwise sharp cheekbones and nose. He was beautiful even
by fairy standard—and he’d followed her out here.
She glanced at the dogs sitting obediently at his feet.
He’d sent them after her. Was she talking to the Lord of the
Hunt? Her heart gave an extra beat.
Taryn shook her head. She didn’t want him thinking she
was crying over a human lover. “My family.”
“Ah. They are in the mortal world.” He nodded as if
confirming his information. How did he know? “Brownies, then?”
“Yes.” Being a Brownie was as good as it got in the
mortal world, living in the home of a changeling, or more
rarely a human, and keeping the house immaculate. A home
within a home. A small exchange between human and fairy
sealed the pact. It didn’t matter where fairies were; rank
and social standing was important. She’d thought the stuffy
all-girls school she’d attended had prepared her for Court.
It hadn’t.
The dogs laid down and looked relaxed, but their eyes
never left her. And neither did his. He’d sought her, which
meant he wanted something. What could a man with almost as
much power as the King want from her? For half a second, she
wanted to give him anything he asked for if he would help
her get her father’s pardon. But that wouldn’t be a smart move.
She almost smiled—she did know something about Court and
Annwyn politics, but caution made her careful. She had to
confirm who he was first. “Your dogs?”
“They are, but don’t worry. They are well trained and
won’t harm you.” He moved a little closer to her. “But there
are plenty of others who would.”
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