The Reluctant Amazon

May 14, 2013 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars

THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is the first storyline in Sandy James’ Alliance of the Amazon series. The premise focuses on the background information about a female race of Amazonian elemental warriors-Earth, Water, Air and Fire and, how each member of the Alliance must work together with their fellow ‘sister warriors’ to put a stop to the end of the world. The storyline and series premise also pulls in mythological gods and goddesses, demigods and demons, and a hierarchy of power and control t...more 3.75 stars

THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is the first storyline in Sandy James’ Alliance of the Amazon series. The premise focuses on the background information about a female race of Amazonian elemental warriors-Earth, Water, Air and Fire and, how each member of the Alliance must work together with their fellow ‘sister warriors’ to put a stop to the end of the world. The storyline and series premise also pulls in mythological gods and goddesses, demigods and demons, and a hierarchy of power and control that is tested by the very Amazons trained to defend the world. But as the women are pulled together to locate three of their missing sisters, they will face betrayal and the pain of loss at the hands of one of their own.

Like many supernatural storylines, our heroine is not aware of her heritage or powers until a handsome immortal stranger takes her under his wing. Meeting her fellow warrior sisters, Rebecca soon realizes she is not on the same level of playing field as the others. As an Earth Amazon, it is her heritage to nurture and grow, and she has a difficult time mastering everything that she needs to know. But as the story progresses, Rebecca will discover that she is a leader as well as a warrior, and the others will eventually have to look to Rebecca for guidance and direction. We follow as the Amazon sisters are trained to defend and protect, fight for what they believe and, finally come to the realization that that trust must be earned and should not be given freely.

The relationship between Artair (Highland warrior Sentinel) and Rebecca is immediate but a relationship that may place everyone at risk as Artair’s attention and need to protect Rebecca moves his focus from the women he is supposed to train onto the woman who has stolen his heart. As the history of the Sentinels and Amazons unfolds, we are privy to Artair’s long history with the Amazon warriors and his desire to re-enter the human world. Artair believes it is time he retired but in doing so, he must give up the woman with whom he has fallen in love.

THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is an interesting storyline that blends mythology with a contemporary storyline. The different elemental Amazons are each ruled by a goddess specific to each bloodline, but the goddesses are not without some issues of their own. Sandy James weaves a tale that places an ancient warrior with a modern woman who has yet to discover her true self but when she does sometimes having too much power is never a good thing. The storyline has a little bit of romance, a little bit of sex, a little bit of action as well as betrayal, heartbreak and love. The story does not end on a cliffhanger but with the knowledge that the evil is still out there and the Amazon warriors will be needed once again.

Copy supplied by the author

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Mar 21, 2013 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

What's a kindergarten teacher to do when she is abandoned at the wedding altar by her momma-loving groom and yanked out the door by a sexy Scotsman who claims she is an Amazon in training? Such is the experience for a woman who is thoughtful to a fault, considering all the aspects of any situation before she moves or decides. Now she is placed in a situation where she must not only get her mind wrapped around the whole concept of being the Amazon answerable to the Earth goddess Rhiannon as well...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Tonya rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

This book is just well "Amazing" it grabbed me from the start - man goes to leave woman at the alter, woman punches him in the nose clearly rearranging it, storms down the isle during an earthquake to run smack dab into the most gorgeous man in the world - wearing a kilt. LOL yep Rebecca meet Altair. And wait earthquake, what is that all about. Talk about throwing you right into the story I loved it.

And before Rebecca can make any sense of it this hulking gorgeous man is dragging her off like a...more This book is just well "Amazing" it grabbed me from the start - man goes to leave woman at the alter, woman punches him in the nose clearly rearranging it, storms down the isle during an earthquake to run smack dab into the most gorgeous man in the world - wearing a kilt. LOL yep Rebecca meet Altair. And wait earthquake, what is that all about. Talk about throwing you right into the story I loved it.

And before Rebecca can make any sense of it this hulking gorgeous man is dragging her off like a sack of potatoes and tossing her into a beat up ratty old van with a really beautiful woman driving it that he calls Sparks, what kind of name is that. Well as you read you see how perfect it is, fitting her position and personality to a "T".

Rebecca is in for a wide awakening right from the start when she is faced with a tale to tall to believe yet its her destiny her life and its happening right then. Off to find another like her but different and faced with dangers from the get go Rebecca's world is out of control. She is slow to grasp, slow to catch on but fast falling for this gorgeous, frustrating yet amazing Altair.

Soon Rebecca learns she is an Amazon and that her old life is no more everything she once loved and cherish gone forever. Soon they would all forget her. She was born for this, her aunt a priestess to the goddess Rhiannon the earth goddess. The goddess who would bestow Rebecca with her earthly powers, even earthquakes. But the goddess isn't so sure her little Amazon is going to cut it, she is progressing slower than the other new Amazon Megan "Fire" and her sentinel Altair, the one she has always wanted but always been denied (why is that if she is an immortal) seems to have a thing for little Rebecca.

Rebecca trains harder and longer, pushes and pushes but still can't seem to grasp it. Altair pushes her harder and harder, knowing he can't bare the thought of her getting hurt or losing her and knowing the goddess is not pleased with her he can't let her fail. While training goes on the search for two missing Amazons continues, the connection to them is lost, have they died like their sister? What has happened to them. As the search continues they know the battle this time is coming to them.

As Rebecca and Megan (Fire) train with Sparks (The original Fire) and Altair (their Sentinel) she begins to fall for Altair something completely forbidden by the goddess Rhiannon but she can't control her feelings and Altair can't control his. But she knows that once the new Sentinel with her other sisters (Air) and (Water) arrive Altair will go back to his mortal life to take a wife and have a child to live a life he has long dreamed of. How can she take that from him, but what does fate have in store for them.

Things get really dicey really fast in this story as Sparks is desperate to find her sister Helen (the original earth) and sets out on her own, a dangerous mission that has things moving faster and Rebecca is quickly put to the test. As the fight against good and evil heats up so does the passion between Rebecca and Altair. I will honestly say that I was crying towards the end of this book, tears of worry at some points and tears of joy at the end.

This is a really amazing book. Looking forward to reading book 2 about Megan (Fire) and book 3 about (Air) hoping book 4 about Water comes out soon too :) GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!! Absolutely loved it.(less)

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Oct 31, 2012 Marlene rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reading-romances-challenge

Originally posted at Book Lovers Inc.

If my groom said "I can't do this" at the altar, in front of the officiant, I wouldn't just punch him in the nose, I hope I'd take another shot at him...and aim considerably lower and with more force. Assuming the jerk has anything down there to hit, considering that he called off the wedding to go back to mommy. His actual mommy. No joke. (Except possibly on Rebecca for thinking she might want to marry him in the first place!)

Calling up the earthquake was de...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Rebecca is a sensible woman, a teacher and she’s about to get married. Or was, anyway, until her husband got cold feet at the altar and a strange Scotsman showed up in the humiliating aftermath to whisk her away to a new life.

With barely time to adapt, Rebecca finds that she’s an Amazon, empowered by the Amazon’s patron goddesses with the power of Earth and chosen to defend the world against various supernatural threats. More urgently, she also learns she has been tapped because the last generat...more Rebecca is a sensible woman, a teacher and she’s about to get married. Or was, anyway, until her husband got cold feet at the altar and a strange Scotsman showed up in the humiliating aftermath to whisk her away to a new life.

With barely time to adapt, Rebecca finds that she’s an Amazon, empowered by the Amazon’s patron goddesses with the power of Earth and chosen to defend the world against various supernatural threats. More urgently, she also learns she has been tapped because the last generation of Amazons has gone missing – or died.

Rebecca must struggle to learn the fighting skills that are essential to her role – but quickly finds she is not as physically adept as her sisters nor as fast a learner. But with Amazons to find and the undead to fight, she doesn’t have time to learn slowly.

And even that is complicated by her teacher, Artair the sentinel, who is compelling to her in ways that go beyond being teacher.

There was a lot of really excellent potential in this book. Yes, 4 warriors dedicated to the 4 elements has been done before, but there was a lot of unique twists to it, with each elements having powers above and beyond what you’d expect. The idea of demigods being evil beings who have the ambition to rise to become gods no matter what is intriguing as well as the various monsters and spirits that serve them and the gods who oppose them

It’s well written as well. The pacing is tight and regular, keeping the plot moving and not dwelling or getting bogged down anywhere but nor did it rush through things and leave it vague or hurried. The world building balance was also excellent. Often with a supernatural setting it is far too tempting to dump all of this wonderful world you’ve created onto the page whether the reader needs to know or not – and it really bogs down a story. This only ever gave us the knowledge we needed to understand the story, explaining what was necessary and leaving the rest as intriguing clues. But, despite that, the world building felt sparse.

The world building felt sparse because it gave us just enough to understand without giving us irrelevant information. Sound like a contradiction? Well, the amazons have these powers, the gods these roles and this presence, but we didn’t get a story about them. We got a story about Becca and Artair falling in love. About Becca worrying she wasn’t becoming a good warrior fast enough. About Artair thinking Becca was sexy but wanting to quit as Sentinel. Of Becca thinking Artair is sexy and wishing he wouldn’t go.

In other words, there’s this wonderful world and wonderful pacing and an admirable restraint against drowning us in unnecessary information, and it isn’t really used.

(less)

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Sep 11, 2012 July rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, ebook, urban-fantasy, tbr-pile-challenge

I finished it so it gets 2 stars for that, but I have quite a few problems with this book.

* There is a lot of telling and not showing. This tendency made me feel like I had a very shallow (or no) rapport with the characters. It also made the romance seem really sudden.
* The world and the concept of the Amazons is very interesting, but it wasn't well fleshed-out. There was a lot more that I wanted to know. A lot of major questions were skimmed over or left unanswered which left me unable to immer...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Bookie | The BookChick rated it 3 of 5 stars

My Rating:★★★½

Book Description:
The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.

An immortal,...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Stephanie Collins rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book enough to know I can't wait until she gives us more... :-)

Rebecca is having the day from hell on what should have been the happiest of her life. I mean she's dumped at the altar... lives thru an earthquake... and is now being told she's an Amazon??? How much more messed up can this day get? Well we find out because she gets attacked by revenants (zombies) and taken away to Avalon. In the midst of all this she meets Sparks and her "sister" Amazon. She is one of the chosen Amaz...more I enjoyed this book enough to know I can't wait until she gives us more... :-)

Rebecca is having the day from hell on what should have been the happiest of her life. I mean she's dumped at the altar... lives thru an earthquake... and is now being told she's an Amazon??? How much more messed up can this day get? Well we find out because she gets attacked by revenants (zombies) and taken away to Avalon. In the midst of all this she meets Sparks and her "sister" Amazon. She is one of the chosen Amazons who happens to wield the powers of Earth. She isn't a fighter when this begins but is more the mothering type but once she figures out who she really is and accepts her powers she becomes the warrior she was always meant to be even if she didn't know it. She's conflicted most of this book by her feelings and doesn't really want all the power she can wield. I have to say this is what I liked about her. She can be annoying due to her self-doubts but she isn't willing to take the easy way out when she is offered it. She loves and loves deeply plus has a deep need to protect and nurture.

Altair.. sigh.. sexy to the extreme this Alpha male will have your heart as quickly as he has hers. He's longing for a wife and family but his duty is important to him so stays on while his replacement is trained. He finds Rebecca enthralling but realizes very quickly that he needs to push her to keep her safe and not get others killed. He is willing to take a stand even if it gets him in trouble with the Goddesses. I loved how as hard as he tries to keep away from her that when he tears the walls down to have her he stays true to his character and loves her with all his being. He knows that as an Amazon she can't have kids but he discovers he wants her more than he wants what he thought his dream was.

There is a lot of action in this and people get killed that you care about but the story is compelling and the hits keep coming. I loved watching two people find each other plus loved seeing how the ending played out. I am looking forward to more set in this world...

Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. (less)

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Sep 02, 2012 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fun read. However, the usual speed of declaration's of undying love in Urban Fantasy book's never cease to annoy. Especially since the thing that seems to endear Artair to Rebecca is that she is simply a normal human being. If the man had simply had a conversation with any decent woman on the planet I doubt he would've fallen in love. I also wish Rebecca's fiancé had been better explained. Why didn't he want to marry her? What made him such a coward? And why did she want to marry a man that sh...more

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Sep 05, 2012 ♫♥✿LovLivLife Reviews✿♥♫ (Chasity) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-sept, i-own, arc-review

Artair MacKay certainly knows how to make an entrance. As Rebecca stands at the alter facing her soon-to-be husband and is rejected by him her life takes a spin. She is angry and rightly so. Rebecca throws and connects with a much deserved punch to the loser's face. With the turmoil of feelings swirling in her she makes the earth quake but does not realize that it is of her doing. In her wedding dress, Rebecca chooses to walk out with her head held high as she is escorted out by a handsome man i...more

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May 12, 2013 Jim Cangany rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel has it all-romance, interesting and good looking characters, non-stop action and a fun dip into Amazonian mythology. Rebecca Massee is an almost thirty kindergarten teacher who's just been jilted at the altar. As the realization that she's not getting married sinks in, her world is taken in a completely new direction when she finds out she's an Amazon who has been called to duty. Rebecca's task is to help fight an unidentified evil who is killing other Amazon warriors. Along the way,...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Heather Wood rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun book with plenty of potential for future novels. I loved the kick-ass women who were destined to fight against evil. The mythology was interesting, without being too complex and the plot was fast paced with a few surprising twists.

The novel had a strong opening sequence. I liked the introduction of Rebecca along with her sentinel Artair and the fellow Amazons. Rebecca punching her groom in the face was a great first scene and really made me cheer for her from the beginning. Megan’...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Franci Karou Cat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recensione completa qui: http://leggendariamente.blogspot.it/2...

The Reluctant Amazon è stata una piacevolissima lettura, soprattutto per una ragione: fa morire dal ridere! E' un romanzo ironico e sorprendente e anche se include una serie di cliché che solitamente in un romanzo detesterei, qui sembrano starci benissimo.

Rebecca è pronta a sposare il fidanzato, col quale da sempre condivide i sogni di una casa e di una famiglia. Ma lui, improvvisamente, sembra aver cambiato idea e non se la sente...more Recensione completa qui: http://leggendariamente.blogspot.it/2...

The Reluctant Amazon è stata una piacevolissima lettura, soprattutto per una ragione: fa morire dal ridere! E' un romanzo ironico e sorprendente e anche se include una serie di cliché che solitamente in un romanzo detesterei, qui sembrano starci benissimo.

Rebecca è pronta a sposare il fidanzato, col quale da sempre condivide i sogni di una casa e di una famiglia. Ma lui, improvvisamente, sembra aver cambiato idea e non se la sente più. Questo scatena l'ira furibonda di Rebecca, che non si sarebbe mai aspettata di venire lasciata sull'altare, il giorno del loro matrimonio. La sua ira provoca un evento strano e inspiegabile, un terremoto che sconvolge tutti i presenti, compresa lei. E, proprio in quel momento di confusione, spunta (letteralmente:P) un misterioso, bellissimo uomo in spada e kilt (esatto, avete capito bene!XD) a tirar fuori la ragazza da quella situazione. Lui sembra conoscerla e insiste per portarla via. Lei, nonostante non sia esattamente abituata a fare cose imprevedibili, si lascia tentare e fugge con lui (chi non l'avrebbe fatto, del resto:P)
Lui è Artair MacKay, l'incarnazione della perfezione, tant'è che le descrizioni del suo aspetto favoloso si sprecano.

Ma ciò che soprattutto colpisce di lui sono i suoi modi sprezzanti e autoritari che, viste le resistenze post-fuga di Rebecca a fidarsi di uno sconosciuto, sarà costretto a tirar fuori, provocando nel lettore parecchia simpatia per questo scozzese omaccione:)

Artair è una Sentinella e il suo lavoro è trovare le guerriere Amazzoni e addestrarle per il combattimento.
Per ogni generazione nascono 4 donne con poteri straordinari, ma qualcuna è morta, qualcun'altra scomparsa e adesso viene chiamata Rebecca a servire la causa. La sua missione è salvare la terra. Da cosa? Beh, c'è l'imbarazzo della scelta in questo romanzo! E' incredibile il mondo descritto dall'autrice, vi convivono divinità di ogni cultura (greche, latine, maya, egizie... tutte insomma), creature mitologiche, ma anche esseri malvagi come, ad esempio, i Revenants (veri e propri zombie).

Intanto, nell'ardua ricerca delle altre "sorelle", Rebecca prenderà coscienza dei suoi poteri e della sua vera natura, grazie anche a Sparks, una "sorella" e guerriera Amazzone come lei, venuta a cercarla insieme ad Artair, e con poteri altrettanto straordinari. Mentre Rebecca possiede quelli della Terra, lei invece maneggia il potere del Fuoco. Per quanto le sembrerà tutto assurdamente impossibile, per quanto la sua voglia di tornare dalla sua cara zia (l'unica persona che le voglia davvero bene) e dai suoi alunni, Rebecca si renderà conto che davvero in lei c'è una guerriera, per quanto provi a negarlo. E Avalon (quella di Re Artù, esatto!), il luogo in cui la portano Artair e Sparks (la loro sede), l'aiuterà ancora meglio a capirlo.

Ma c'è ancora tanto altro da scoprire in The Reluctant Amazon. Rebecca, scatenando il terremoto il giorno del suo matrimonio, ha richiamato l'attenzione su di sé dei Revenants e di altri terrificanti demoni, che daranno loro la caccia e, tra inseguimenti e scene di azione, anche molto divertenti (la ritrosia di Rebecca ad usare le armi, per dirne una), verremo trascinati in una lettura sempre adrenalinica e ricca di suspense. In più, sarà straordinario vedere come un uomo bruto e dai modi arroganti come Artair, quando è con Rebecca, venga ispirato da sentimenti dolci e raffinati e sembri più sensibile di quanto non si mostri di solito. Lui è immortale e allena da secoli le guerriere Amazzoni, ma mai nessuna lo aveva turbato quanto lei. Che cosa avrà di tanto speciale poi questa Rebecca?:P I dialoghi tra loro due strappano continui sorrisi, ma soprattutto quelli tra Artair e Sparks, perché Sparks conosce Artair da lungo tempo e non perderà occasione di fargli notare i cambiamenti del suo carattere. A proposito di caratteri, bisogna dire che qui sono tutti ben definiti, soprattutto quello della protagonista che fa un percorso davvero interessante e da ragazza dalla vita ordinaria arriverà a diventare una guerriera a tutti gli effetti (ammettiamolo, però: l'addestramento di Artair le è servito parecchio:)). E poi, c'è un'ottimo lavoro fatto con la mitologia, sulla quale si capisce l'autrice si è ben documentata. La storia non è mai scontata e, tra colpi di scena e avventure, si giunge ad un finale strepitoso, ad un lieto fine che non ci si aspetterebbe di sicuro:)

Mi sento di raccomandare questo romanzo a tutti, è il primo di una serie e sono sicura che anche i prossimi libri ci regaleranno faville! Se cercate eroi straordinari e divertenti, azione a non finire, mitologia, demoni da distruggere, pericoli da sventare, allora fa senz'altro per voi:) Purtroppo, se vorrete leggerlo, lo potete trovare soltanto in inglese al momento:((less)

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May 01, 2013 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

I started this book a little over a week ago. I'm finding it a little hard to get into since I've been tripping over the dialogue going on between the sentinal and the main character. The only dialogue that was even a little interesting was between Becca and her fiance. The rest of the conversations are either filler or just down right wooden. There is supposed to be some type of chemistry between Becca and the Sentinal, but the author does a poor job of conveying that. The only reason I will st...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Emmy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-for-review

Review posted at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews
ARC provided by Carina Press
3 out of 5 STARS

This is a unique concept that I have not read before. There are generations of Amazons that may be called in for duty. Rebecca is called to duty while being turned down at the alter. Ouch, that had to hurt! But? What better way to make an exit than to follow the sexy man in a kilt who has come for her. Yep, enter Artair MacKay. He's the Sentinel for the Amazons. Sentinel duties include finding the recentl...more

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May 03, 2013 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, reviewed, urban-fantasy

This is the first book in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James, and what an amazing first book it was. You know things are going to be good when the story opens on the bride punching the groom because he is jilting her at the alter, in front of all their friends and family - the big momma's boy!

Rebecca Massee is almost your stereotypical earth mother. She is a kindergarten teacher who helps put together and maintain neighborhood garden plots, who dreams of a home of her own with a...more This is the first book in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James, and what an amazing first book it was. You know things are going to be good when the story opens on the bride punching the groom because he is jilting her at the alter, in front of all their friends and family - the big momma's boy!

Rebecca Massee is almost your stereotypical earth mother. She is a kindergarten teacher who helps put together and maintain neighborhood garden plots, who dreams of a home of her own with a husband and children. Unfortunately, her husband-to-be jilts her at the alter and shatters her dreams. Just as her wedding and future is falling to pieces, a handsome man in a kilt shows up and tells her to follow him that "it is time." Astair MacKay is the centuries old Sentinel that trains Amazons as they are called up for duty. And Rebecca has just been called up. Each generation has 4 Amazons, Earth, Fire, Water & Air. Whether they are needed is dependent upon the health of the previous Amazons and how many demigods and demons are trying to take over.

After the last world war, the then current Amazons thought that they would be the last generation needed. But when some being strips the powers from an Amazon and then kills her, the 4 goddesses who each sponsor a particular Amazon know that something big coming and calls up the next generation. Astair is planning on retiring from Sentinel duty, but agrees to help the new Sentinel train one last generation. They each take 2 Amazons to train. Astair goes for Rebecca, and as the Earth Amazon, she leads them to the other Amazon nearby, Fire. Typically the Earth Amazon has the role of Guardian for the Amazons and helps to lead the next generation into their powers. But this time the Earth Amazon is missing and Sparks, the last generations Fire has taken on this role. The new Amazons must train and learn to use their powers quickly to try and save the lives of their sisters. At first Astair does everything in his power to make her angry, as this is the typical trigger for the Amazons powers. But he eventually figures out that doesn't work with Becca. Her powers are triggered by another emotion, Love.

I really liked this book. It caught my attention from the very beginning and kept things moving. Where the author could have gone with a cliche, she went with originality. I was kept guessing and was never was quite sure where we were going to end up, but what a ride. The next book is Fire's story. Here's to hoping that it shares in the ups, downs and wild ride of the first. The Reluctant Amazon got a 4 star rating for me on Goodreads.(less)

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May 03, 2013 Amyra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Una lettura interessante, un po' troppo lunga per i miei gusti e dal finale pressochè scontato. Mi piace come evolte l'eroina, da insegnante dell'asilo che vomita sotto stress ad una Amazzone Guardiana potente e sicura di sè. Non mi è affatto piaciuto invece la sua controparte maschile, se una donna ti dice "no" perchè ha paura che tu gli rovini la carriera, vuol dire "no" anche se è attratta da te, testa di cavolo! E questa scena viene ripetuta di continuo, quindi tolgo una stella al mio giudiz...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Amanda P added it

Shelves: review-copy-provided, paranormal-urban-fantasy, own-as-an-ebook, hot-and-steamy, did-not-finish

So, I didn’t actually finish this book. It is a DNF for me, it’s not that the book was bad, but that it was kind of boring. I got about 65% of the way through and I just couldn’t dredge up any more enthusiasm to continue the book. I kept thinking about all the other books I had waiting for me, screaming to be read and I just clicked off this book and never picked it up again.

Why was this book boring you ask, I think it mostly has to do with our heroine, who mostly whines throughout the book… Ok...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 3 of 5 stars

Favorite Lines: “Rebecca Massee was no longer the kindergarten teacher who had been abandoned at the alter. She was no longer the one who looked to others for her self-esteem. And she was no longer the woman who was afraid to take the lead, to charge to the front. Rebecca Massee was an Amazon. She was Earth. And she was here to save humanity.” (p. 224, egalley)

When I read the premise for The Reluctant Amazon it sounded different from what I’d been reading and piqued my interest. Usually when I’m...more Favorite Lines: “Rebecca Massee was no longer the kindergarten teacher who had been abandoned at the alter. She was no longer the one who looked to others for her self-esteem. And she was no longer the woman who was afraid to take the lead, to charge to the front. Rebecca Massee was an Amazon. She was Earth. And she was here to save humanity.” (p. 224, egalley)

When I read the premise for The Reluctant Amazon it sounded different from what I’d been reading and piqued my interest. Usually when I’m into a book I can read it in a day, but that’s not what happened with the story. I began reading it, disliked the heroine and put it down. I waited a while and tried again with the same result. Finally, yesterday I decided it was time to woman up and pound through the book. At the midpoint of the story, I began getting into it. By the last quarter, I was happy and quickly flipped through the remaining pages.

See it’s all about characters with me sometimes. I absolutely couldn’t stand the heroine Rebecca. She worked my last nerve. The same day she meets the hero she is looking at him with “hope and trust in her eyes” causing the hero to feel “humbled” that she “could offer him those gifts after the way he’d manhandled her all day.” Seriously? It was too much, way too fast. It was superficial and the main reason I wanted to put the book down. However, I’m glad I gave the book another chance because I’d have missed a great hero had I not finished.

Artair is a manly man who’s been training Amazons for four goddesses for over 300 years. He is tired of war and watching the people he loves die so he tenders his resignation in hopes of becoming a mortal capable of settling down with a wife and raising a family. That’s all before he meets the Amazon who slightly changes his mind. He sees the strength underneath the weak front Rebecca wears. She’s a nurturer, beautiful and the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Artair is caring, intelligent and stubborn. I love that he is able to step back and let his woman lead the way. Time is allowed to pass before he acts on his feelings toward the woman he calls “Becca-mine.”

I liked the romance because it meant Artair would be happy and it evolved with a more mature Rebecca than we are initially introduced to. The growth made Rebecca a strong heroine capable of giving her hero the balance he needed in order to have a happily ever after. The passion is secondary to the action and mystery surrounding the characters, so when it shows up it feels realistic and not forced.

It’s not one I’ll be reading again, but I’m glad I took the time to finish The Reluctant Amazon.
Scooper Speaks (less)

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Sep 11, 2012 Angela Blount rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

★★★½ Stars

Rebecca is a little difficult to warm up to as a heroine. Rescued from her disastrous wedding day by a sword-weilding Scotsman, she starts out as a mundane, denial-addled school-teacher who just wants to be normal. More passive and delicate than her “sisters”, she spends most of the book striving, but lacking the wherewithal of a competent Amazon warrior. But she does eventually grow into a more likable character.

This reviewer particularly enjoyed the use of the elements in designatio...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, netgalley

While the cover may have worked, I unfortunately found a lot wrong with the story of The Reluctant Amazon.

I was interested in this book initially because of the main premise: Amazons. I've always been fascinated with these strong female warrior characters. The story however did not take me on a deep enough journey.

When I look at the girl on the front cover it does not make me think of the main character Rebecca. When I first started reading, I felt she was real and likeable and I found myself la...more While the cover may have worked, I unfortunately found a lot wrong with the story of The Reluctant Amazon.

I was interested in this book initially because of the main premise: Amazons. I've always been fascinated with these strong female warrior characters. The story however did not take me on a deep enough journey.

When I look at the girl on the front cover it does not make me think of the main character Rebecca. When I first started reading, I felt she was real and likeable and I found myself laughing out loud. However, the romance aspect of this book ruined her character for me. She didn't become the strong character I was envisioning. She was stuck on a guy who she just met and was more worried about him then her job as an Amazon.

I felt the romance between Rebecca and Artair really took away from the story. Once again you have this insta-love. It would have been so much better and invoked much more tension for me as a reader if the romance had been a gradual build-up. The passages with the two of them became annoying. For example, while her home was going down in flames and her sisters had scattered to safety, Rebecca and Artair found time for a sexual romp in the woods. ugh.

I can definitely say that this story isn't predictable. I was kept guessing the entire time. Which was good. The mythology that I did get was interesting, but I felt it wasn't taken far enough. I wanted much much more. I also would have liked less unrealistic romance between Rebecca and Artair and more action, adventure, and story development. While I did like the aspect of the Amazons representing fire, earth, air or water, there was not enough explanation about them and their differences. The characters all needed to be flushed out more.

This book had a lot of potential, but it just didn't come together. All of that said, I think the author had a solid idea here for a series.

Bottom Line: Overall, The Reluctant Amazon had a skeleton of what could have been an amazing read. However when it came down to the meat of the story I was left unsatisfied. 2.5/5
(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, romance, read-2012, urban-fantasy

My review cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-r...

Being left at the altar would be enough for a woman to handle in one day. Being jilted and then finding out you’re an Amazonian Earth warrior with supernatural powers? It’s enough to make kindergarten teacher Rebecca Massee think she’s losing it. Except it’s all true. Rebecca is one of four Amazons tapped to save the world from evil. She and her newfound Amazon “sisters” are to train and become a fighting forc...more My review cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-r...

Being left at the altar would be enough for a woman to handle in one day. Being jilted and then finding out you’re an Amazonian Earth warrior with supernatural powers? It’s enough to make kindergarten teacher Rebecca Massee think she’s losing it. Except it’s all true. Rebecca is one of four Amazons tapped to save the world from evil. She and her newfound Amazon “sisters” are to train and become a fighting force unlike any Rebecca could have ever dreamed. The only problem? Rebecca is no warrior, and unlike her fellow Amazons she’s not exactly falling into her new role with ease.

Immortal Sentinel Artair MacKay has trained numerous Amazons, but none has ever affected him like Rebecca. He’s breaking all the rules falling for his beautiful Earth Amazon, but Artair can’t seem to keep his need for Rebecca in check. He worries that Rebecca isn’t cut out to be an Amazon and he knows his feelings for her are compromising his ability to train her properly. Then a dangerous enemy threatens the Amazons and Artair has to put all his faith in the strength of his reluctant Amazon.

Magic and danger go hand-in-hand in the explosive first installment of the Alliance of the Amazons series. In The Reluctant Amazon author Sandy James’s deft hand with world-building shows, for she delivers an intriguing world that I’m eager to learn more about. Since the fun is in the journey when it comes to the paranormal elements of The Reluctant Amazon I’m, well, reluctant to say much about my favorite aspect of the book. Suffice it to say that The Reluctant Amazon is unique, engaging, and will leave you wanting to learn more about the world of the Amazons.

As for the titular Amazon, Rebecca is a heroine you have to admire. I love that Ms. James didn’t make her some kick-ass superstar who took to her role like a fish to water. I respect Rebecca more because becoming a warrior wasn’t easy for her. She works hard, fails from time to time, and eventually becomes all that she needs to be in a completely organic matter. Artair, by comparison, wasn’t quite as compelling. There’s nothing wrong with him, but there wasn’t much about his personality that stood out. Where The Reluctant Amazon faltered for me was in the romance. Rebecca and Artair fall in love very quickly and since I never really understood why, I wasn’t invested in the love story aspect of The Reluctant Amazon. Indeed, the pacing of the story slowed down a bit too much for me in some spots and it might have been the romance storyline that caused the dragging.

A host of secondary characters round out The Reluctant Amazon and Ms. James does an excellent job in giving them all depth while never losing focus on Rebecca and Artair. From Rebecca’s sisters to the changelings to the Sentinels to the goddesses, I was fascinated. I finished The Reluctant Amazon eager to read the next Alliance of the Amazons book, The Impetuous Amazon, for I cannot wait to see what Ms. James has in store for Megan, the feisty Fire Amazon.(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Vh rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Rebecca discovers she is a amazonian earth warrior when she is taken under the wing a sexy trainer Artair. I enjoyed the original twist on this paranormal tale. It was interesting to read about the relationships and back stories of the other female amazonian warriors and the world building is good. The romance between Rebacca and Artair is sexy, but steady. Worth a try!

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Aug 27, 2012 Becca Hoetger added it

I was very excited to read this book. It sounded like a great, girl-power kind of book. And it mostly was. I could've done without most of the romantic parts of the book, but overall, the storyline was fun.

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Apr 25, 2013 Gemma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy

Very buffy-esque, but I loved it. Can't wait to get stuck into book 2

Full review to follow

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May 09, 2013 Chelsea Long rated it 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars
I liked it but I found myself getting easily bored/distracted from the story.

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Aug 31, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

This one is kinda cute...light. Full review to come

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Aug 11, 2012 Tracy's Place rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.25 out of 5

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May 20, 2013 Seeker Of rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, romance

May 19, 2013 Tara Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

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The Reluctant Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons #1)

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