Enter the circus at your own risk… and discover the greatest show on earth in this explosive
and darkly magical fantasy novel.
For humans, the circus is a place filled with wonder and amazement. For Harrow, it’s a place to hide
from those who slaughtered her entire clan. Disguising her abilities as part of her act has kept her
true identity safe for years.
Until he arrives.
A strange new attraction with no name, no memory of who – or even what – he is, let alone an explanation for his odd yet deadly powers. But beneath the layers of anger and isolation, one
glimpse into his inky eyes reveals a soul that calls out to the loneliness in her own.
And so, she chooses him.
Harrow is drawn to the darkness, to her insatiable need to soothe the beast who threatens their very existence. But with every secret she unlocks from his past, another from hers is revealed – luring
enemies who will stop at nothing to get their final revenge on Harrow. And she’s afraid she’s given
them the perfect weapon against her because he’s not what he seems.
But maybe it’s time they finally learn neither is she…
My Review
Thanks to Anne Cater for organising this blog tour, and to the publisher for my copy of this book. I appreciate the accommodation for my disabilities.
Harrow and her friends are part of a circus that travels the Five Territories entertaining humans with their Elemental abilities, while finding protection from an increasingly hostile human population. Harrow is pretending to be human, but she’s really a Seer, the last Water Elemental, the survivor of a massacre that destroyed the last remaining Seer clan. They’re victims, among many others, in the war between the Elemental Queens of Fire and Water. Harrow’s best friend is Mal, a panther Hybrid – a mix of animal and Elemental – who is the circus’ star attraction. They’re both hiding from people who want to kill them and hiding is hard.
Raith wakes up in the Southern Territory without any idea of his name, his past, or how he got to the desert. He’s not used to having a body, and the world has seen nothing like him before.
After a long journey, Raith ends up with the circus, and soon after he and Harrow meet. He’s dangerous, according to the Ring Master, a wraith, the one who murdered Harrow’s family. Harrow doesn’t believe it, and makes plans to help Raith escape the cage he’s locked in.
About this point, everything goes a bit wonky, and also really well, for a little while. We meet Ouro the snake Hybrid gang leader, a couple of Queens at war with each other, discover the lengths people will go to for love.
I don’t normally read romantic fantasy, or at least I usually read Queer romantic fantasy if I do. So, I’m not sure why I agreed to read this one. The description appealed to me when I was sent the details for the blog tour. The concept of a world where there are humans, Elementals, and Elemental-animal hybrids, and a never-ending war between Queens, who aren’t quite goddesses, but who are extremely powerful and almost immortal, appealed.
In this complex mix we have the last remaining Water elemental, who falls in love with a fire elemental who has become embodied unexpectedly and doesn’t know who he is. The journey to self-discovery and self-forgiveness, as well as forgiving each other, takes the pair to difficult places and brings them back to a happily ever after. I did cry at the end, it was all very sweet.
I’m definitely more a Fantasy reader than a Romance reader, so my priorities might be different from those of you who prefer the romance in the romantic fantasy. It’s all a matter of personal preference. Any criticism is probably based in my preferences for fantasy.
The emphasis is heavily on the romance in this romantic fantasy. There’s a lot of explicit sex, the writing is easy to follow, and the 379 pages flow by quickly. I read it in five or six hours one evening after work. The novel definitely follows romance conventions, in that both leads and main secondary characters are devastatingly good looking, the pair are brought together, pushed apart by misunderstanding, and then chose each other again, learning the truth and learning to forgive. Technically, this is a good romantic novel, solid plot, recognisable characters, decent storytelling, strictly cishet and with the obligatory HEA (marriage and babies). I think, were it not for the sex, it could definitely be for younger teens; as it is, this is definitely more for the Adult reader, YA at a push.
It’s not the meatiest of fantasy, the writing was definitely more in the style of romance than fantasy conventions; the worldbuilding feels a little shallow, and the main character introductions was a little heavy handed. The characters were too perfect and become even more so in their HEA chapters. Fantasy doesn’t work like that. The changes in the Water Queen are too sudden to be believable and the Ether Queen is an obvious Deus ex machina. I suppose some people are reading it for the romance and the fantasy is set dressing, and the author is writing for that audience, not the ‘I like fantasy, some romance as secondary plot is fine’ readership. It’s all preference.
In my Good Reads review I gave it 4 stars – which it deserves if assessed as a romance novel, because it is a satisfying romance and has all the elements one expects in the genre. As a fantasy, it’s more of a 3, possibly a 2.5. I recognised some of the same issues in my own novels from 10 years ago and in my current first drafts (I’m working on it!) so I’m inclined to generosity and to assessing based on the conventions of the most prominent genre (romance), as well as writing skill, character development, and how enjoyable and interesting I found the plot.
Over all, a fun romance with a fantasy setting and potential to expand. I’m quite interested in reading Mal’s story. I reckon she’s going to fall in love with Ouro, and then have to decide between remaining in the circus, starting a new life in Allegra with the Hybrid gang, and fighting to regain her inheritance in the Far South.
About the author
Paranormal & fantasy romance author Aurora Ascher loves misunderstood mythical monsters, redeemable anti-heroes, and epic happily-ever-afters.
A woman of many creative pursuits, Aurora is also a professional musician and visual artist. She currently resides in Montreal with her trusty espresso machine and her endlessly patient husband, whom she sometimes doesn’t see for hours until she emerges from her writing cave like a bear in springtime.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 