"Darkly Erotic....Full of Passion and Intrigue"
Cenda is feeling lost and alone as she mourns the death of
her young daughter. Awkward and lacking mastery of even
the simplest Magick, Cenda barely qualified as a witch.
But on the day that her daughter died, her life changed
dramatically. In the wake of her grief, Cenda has
discovered her gift of Fire Magick -- a rare and powerful
elemental ability. Believed to be the only fire witch in
the known worlds, Cenda has suddenly become a valuable
possession and there are those who would stop at nothing to
use her for personal gain. As Cenda struggles to accept
her newfound talent, danger and deception lurk in the
shadows. The fire witch has enemies who seek to capture
her and a handsome traveling musician will set the perfect
trap. Grayson, Duke of Ombra knows it's a dirty job; however he
intends to follow through. Both the Technomage Primus and
the old wizard Deiter want the fire witch, but the wizard's
offer is more tempting. A double cross would do the trick
if Gray could pull it off. The plan is to seduce and
kidnap Cenda in exchange for his sanity and the reclaiming
of his soul. Gray is disgusted by the thought of it, but
the end will justify the means. For his trouble, Gray will
finally be rid of the dark physical presence that has
attached itself to his very being. To be free of the evil
and filth in his life, Gray would do anything...he would even
bring devastation to the life of an unsuspecting fire witch. When Cenda meets Gray he awakens a passion in her that she
has never known. Gray's desire for her is an unexpected
thrill and Cenda's Fire Magick thrives as her affection
grows. Gray in turn is disarmed by Cenda's innocence and
inner strength. In Cenda's arms he finds peace and
acceptance, thus complicating Gray's deceitful plans.
Suddenly Cenda's life seems too steep a price to pay for
the salvation of his corrupted soul, but keeping her safe
could prove to be an impossible task. In the end, Cenda
may be strong enough to face her enemies, but can she
survive the cruel betrayals of the heart? THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is a dark erotic tale that is
satisfying on many levels. Readers will enjoy the rich
development of this fantastic world and its characters,
sharing their amusement and passion while squirming at the
chilling horrors they face. Cenda is endearing as the
unlikely heroine and Gray is deliciously wicked as the
antihero with a mysterious dark side. Additionally, there
are many interesting themes and symbolism aplenty in THE
FLAME AND THE SHADOW for those willing to explore some of
the deeper layers of the book. Religious fundamentalism,
ethics in science, what it means to love and accept oneself
are just a few of the subjects that are touched upon in
this book of light, dark, and shades of gray. From the
mythical salamanders to the clever names of the main
characters, there is much to ponder and discuss long after
the last page has been read. Rossetti's first installment
of The Four-Sided Pentacle series is exciting and full of
passion and intrigue. I will be anxiously awaiting the
second book which is due out FALL 2009. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Sonya Harrison
Posted January 31, 2009
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**A PNR Top Pick** Some are drawn to the light. Some are drawn to the dark. Some desire both. Grayson of Concordia, known on countless worlds as the Duke of Ombra, is a mercenary, a sorcerer of shadows-a man whose soul is consumed by darkness. For Gray, the bleak savagery in his heart is manifest in an entity he calls Shad. He has long resisted Shad's enticements, but when he is hired to kidnap a fire witch, he seizes the chance to restore his soul-no matter the cost. Cenda's heart is ash. Since the death of her precious baby daughter, life has lost all meaning for the fire witch. Slowly, she has worked to master her powers and go on living. But when she encounters Gray, her will is no match for her desire, though her love may not survive the terrible discovery of Gray's plans.
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