Anya Bast, Jeweled

Jeweled

Anya Bast

Heat, Nov 2 2010, $15.00

ISBN: 9780425236864

At the court of the Edaeii in Belai, Evangeline the Enchantress is euphoric as she is rewarded for her magical skill of emotional manipulator by being be-Jeweled with a sapphire, which makes her recognized as a master adept. However her joy shatters when revolutionaries destroy the court and kill most of the mages. Adept Anatol Nikolisan the illusionist saves her life.

Already attracted to each other even before the insurrection, the pair flees together to the only potential sanctuary, the home of Gregorio Vidhin. Ironically his oratory was the catalyst that enflamed the rebellion. As the low born hunt for the pair, Evangeline finds herself torn between two lovers.

This heated erotic romantic fantasy is fast-paced from the onset, filled with vivid love scenes that will raise body temperatures of adoring fans, and a strong sense that in the Bast universe the physics of magic feels genuine. The prime threesome comes across as real whether they flee the revolutionaries, deal with locals wanting to buy "his sister" for the night, or stop for a tryst. Although expressions like "sowing your wild oats" and even "middle class" feel out of place in this realm, fans will enjoy Evangeline's excellent escapades with the two mages in her life.

Harriet Klausner