Lady Ceralda "Cera" Ryhan is on the run. After her family is murdered, she must keep a magical sword protected while fighting for her life. Along her journey, she meets Jorrin Aldern, a half elf looking for his father. When they find their journeys overlap in ways they never expected, they will learn to trust each other to save the people they love.

Though SWORD'S CALL by C.A. Szarek starts off strong, this story was ultimately not for me. I love the opening action where a kick-butt protagonist, Cera, is introduced. Her quest starts off packed with adventure, and the bond between her and her wolf is wonderful. The world slowly starts to build into something interesting and unique.

However, shortly after Jorrin and Cera admit their feelings for each other, the action almost halts. All of the initial set up for the plot goes away, and the romance feels forced into center stage. The conflicts within their relationship feel shallow without enough characterization and character motivation to support them. A heavy use of fragmented sentences also gives the story a stiff and occasionally incoherent feel. I kept hoping for some of the original excitement and action to come back, but unfortunately, the momentum does not pick back up.

Overall, SWORD'S CALL by C.A. Szarek does have great moments in the beginning. Jorrin and Cera feel like real, complex, and exciting characters ready for an adventure. However, the quick shift to a nearly romance only story after the initial set up takes away from the plot. Though this book isn't for me, I can see readers who enjoy a slower story line with a more romantic than action-focused center liking this more than I did.