Jean Johnson, The Storm

The Storm Jean JohnsonBerkley, Sep 2008, $14.00ISBN: 9780425222171Rydan, the Guardian of the Nightfall Fountain, is a loner. He hates crowds, which to him is more than one other person near his space. Thus he is unhappy when the twins Arora and Amara are shipwrecked on Nightfall Island even as he is attracted to the former while his brother Trevan desires the latter (see 'The Cat').He rejects the concept that Rora is his destined mate. However she sees inside his soul and knows why he runs from emotions; feelings are painful to her beloved. She plans to heal him, but first must deal with the trouble that followed her and her sister to Nightfall Island.Although readers know much of the events having read them in 'The Cat,' Jean Johnson keeps the tale fresh as the perspective of the other twins are different from those of Trevan and Amara. The storyline maintains the fast pace, but new revelations occur as Rydan keeping with his overall loner persona meets his fate as one of the Sons of Destiny in the aptly titled 'The Storm.' Ms. Johnson keeps her romantic fantasy saga at the top bar of excellence.Harriet Klausner