The Lioness: A True Love Tale

by Jake Bonsignore

Seventeen-year-old Adria Catarr is a carefree, stubborn girl with an insatiable sweet tooth. When she stumbles into Lando Cardé, the incognito prince, during the annual Midsummer Festival and mistakes his charm for love at first sight, her naïve heart is quickly broken.

Kaidan Sordell, a childhood friend, is there to pick up the pieces and help Adria mend her wounds. His affection for her has gone unnoticed for so long that he’s not sure if he’ll ever have the nerve to tell her how he truly feels.

With the last summer before adulthood upon them, Adria and Kaidan decide to seek out the Temple of the Red Mare. The legendary tales of it revealing a heart’s truest desire is too tempting for lovelorn Adria to pass up.

Will she realize, though, that what she’s looking for has been trekking beside her all along?

313 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2014

About the author

Jake Bonsignore is the author of multiple novels, including Empyreal Illusions, Awakening the Fire, and The Lioness. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida with magna cum laude honors. Outside of his literary pursuits, he enjoys playing sports and is a fitness enthusiast. He is currently working on his next book.

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lioness is a revolutionary and revitalizing tale of the true power and impact of love on our lives. Without love, we are incomplete. Try as we may, nothing can take its place. The life-altering change, the heights of encouragement, and the depths of fulfillment cannot be accomplished by any other emotion or feeling. The sheer power in the purity of a single act of true love is simply beyond the comprehension and vocabulary of the human race in both its accurate description and immeasurable impact on our heart and soul.

Adria Catarr sees herself as nothing special. She is merely a normal girl who happens to have a major sweet tooth. A short encounter with the crowned prince, Lando Cardé, has her believing that she has finally been found and claimed by true love. What she sees as true love is soon unmasked for the lie that it is. When all hope seems lost, Adria’s longtime friend Kaidan Sordell helps to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. As he stands by her side and helps her through this dark time, her eyes begin to truly open and she begins to see what she has missed for so long. Will she continue to refuse what has always been right in front of her for the sake of a dead hope, or will she finally choose to embrace what she has always dreamed of?

Adria is such a beautiful character who symbolizes the heart and soul of every girl. We dream and long for true love to find us, but we start out not understanding what that really is. We mistake any fond gesture for true love and soon we find ourselves accepting false and destructive versions of the real thing. It is only through patience, wisdom, and experience that we are able to recognize and cherish true love when it finally presents itself. Once it walks into your life, I would beg and implore you not to let it go because without it life will be an empty and dark shadow of what it could have been.

I truly loved watching Kaidan’s transformation throughout this journey. While it is no less breathtaking then Adria’s own transformation, there is just something about him that tugged relentlessly at my heart. He suffered and grew as he watched the girl he loved pursue another with reckless abandon. He longed for her to pursue him with the same ferocity, and I found myself rooting for him along the way. His heart was a boundless and stunning treasure that could not be hidden from or ignored by Adria for long. Being as stubborn as Adria, Kaidan discovers that this quality can at times bring with it a most remarkable reward. What some might see as hopeless, others might interpret as a possibility that should not be quickly disregarded.

The pages of this incredible book contain powerful and compelling truths that will sear your heart and leave you contemplating them long after you have finished reading. If you allow them, they will offer you a different perspective on your life. Choices that you may have overlooked will come into focus, and hope will have an opportunity to overcome despair and fear. Allow yourself to feel. Give your heart the chance to explore its limitless potential to give and accept love. You will never regret it.

Jake Bonsignore has left me utterly astounded with his deeply honest and highly provocative exploration into the human need and capacity for true love. He pulls no punches when detailing our shortcomings and yet he does not hold back any of the hope for change that he offers. This is a story that will leave a profound mark on whoever dares to read it. The masterful storytelling will have you walking alongside our beautiful couple the entire time, and you will not fail to ever know the impact that they have on each other and those around them. The storytelling skill and the heart poured into the pages of this book are truly amazing and left me wanting more.

[Nightly Cravings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gratifying Heartwarming Teen Sensation

The Lioness: A True Love Tale by Jake Bonsignore is a love journey you will never forget.

Adria, a normal seventeen year old seeks for love during an annual Midsummer Festival. She comes across, Lando; an prince undercover, and falls head over heals with his good looks and charms. She becomes blindsided and daft for Lando. When Adria learns what kind of person Lando really is, it is too late and becomes lost and heartbroken.

Kaiden has been in love with Adria since childhood. The world falls apart when he discovers Adria's heart belongs with another and soon finds himself escorting Adria to her one true love.

The Lioness is a fabulous read. I have myself almost giving the book four stars because of the beginning which I found myself bored, not interested in it. Adria for the most part. I wanted knock some sense to her for not paying attention for what lies in front of her (sorry. don't want to ruin the book for you). But as I read on, Adria grew on me. As well as the rest of the characters.

Now I am a sensitive person I have to admit. This love story brought tears to my eyes in some places. Jake did a wonderful job with his well structured characters and story. It surprised me how much I ended up loving it.

This is a love story I would highly recommend. One of the first books of Jake's I have read and look forward to his others.

[Rachel Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nice story of Adria a teenager who has a delectable sweet tooth. During a midsummer festival she meets Prince Lando. She falls for him immediately all while her child hood friend Kaidan who is madly in love with Adria watches from the side. When Prince Lando publicly humiliates Adria it is Kaidan that is there to help her piece her heart back together. The book takes you on an adventure with Adria and Kaidan. What they find will surprise you. Several times during the story I did want to smack Adria and make her realize what she was doing but in the end she figures things out and her character really did grow on me.



I had a hard time getting into the book initially but after the first couple of chapters I was hooked and loved it. It really is a story of young, true love and not only finding what your heart really desires but finding out what your heart really needs. The author does a great job at describing things so that you feel that you are right where the characters are. He makes you feel the emotions of all of the characters as they are going through there trials and tribulations. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Anna-marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this rather sweet story of Adria Cartarr, a seventeen year old girl, who has stubborn streak & a very sweet tooth.
When she meets Prince Lando, who is undercover, at the Midsommer Festival, she naively believes his attentions are true love. Kaidan Sodell, her childhood friend, watches sadly from the sidelines.
When Prince Lando publicly breaks Adria’s heart, Kaidan is there to help her pick up the prices.
Together they go on an adventure to find the Temple of the Red Mare, where the hearts truest desires will be revealed.
This is a very easy to read book. The story is about young love & how you suddenly realise just what is in front of you, also of forgiveness.
Jake has a way of describing scenes perfectly, so you are drawn into the story.
The characters were really easy to like & you saw how they grew up by the end.
Another lovely story from Jake Bonsignore

[Shannan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be the best love story I have read. I absolutely loved this book. I loved the characters of Adria and Kaidan and following their story to true love has touched my heart. My favorite books are ones that allow me to have all kinds of emotions and this one did just that. This book is a my fairy tale and I will read it again and again.

This is the first book I have read by this author (even though I have his other two Empyreal Illusions and Awakening the Fire). I can't wait to dive into those as Jake is obviously a very talented author. He is on my favorite authors list without a doubt.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a wonderful true love story. You will not be disappointed. I give this book 5 ***** and just really can't say enough great things about it.

[Novel Grounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars|Amazon|Goodreads
Meg's Review:
Another novel from Jake and like his others, this one doesn't let down.

A story of unrequited love and the depths to which one will travel of something they think is their destiny.

A young Adria wants to find love, just like any other 17 year old. Enter Lando. A prince that Adria instantly falls in love with. She's blinded by her innocence and love and in the end what 17 year old doesn't think her first love is perfect?

Hello Kaiden. He is a genuinely great boy who is head over for this girl. Clue the Hard decisions and uncomfortable situations and he finds himself taking Adria to her one true love, Lando.

The book has a somewhat slow start, but in the end I was sucked it. Sticking true to his style jake weaves this novel around you and there is no hope for escape. You get frustrated with Adria and feel hurt for Kaiden. It brings it out and empowers you to want to fright for them. Adria definitely needed a good kick in the butt. But like any other stubborn heroine, you end up falling for her.

A well written love story that pulls your heart-strings and forces you to fall in love with wonderful and well-developed characters. A great overall read.
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Adria Catarr is a carefree, stubborn girl with an insatiable sweet tooth. When she stumbles into Lando Cardé, the incognito prince, during the annual Midsummer Festival and mistakes his charm for love at first sight, her naïve heart is quickly broken.

Kaidan Sordell, a childhood friend, is there to pick up the pieces and help Adria mend her wounds. His affection for her has gone unnoticed for so long that he’s not sure if he’ll ever have the nerve to tell her how he truly feels.

With the last summer before adulthood upon them, Adria and Kaidan decide to seek out the Temple of the Red Mare. The legendary tales of it revealing a heart’s truest desire is too tempting for lovelorn Adria to pass up.

Will she realize, though, that what she’s looking for has been trekking beside her all along?

[Keren Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taken from my original review at: http://gothicangelbookreviews.blogspo...

Where to start this review, that's the question. This book left me speechless for a while. I was in tears and couldn't see to type. This story is one of love, trust and inexplicable bonds - it really a true love tale. There are trials and tribulations along the way, but who better to face them with than your best friend?

Adria Catarr is our heroine and it's her journey we follow. It all starts one fateful night at the Midsummer Festival when she meets the crown prince, Lando Cardé. He's handsome and kind, pays her compliments and whisks her off her feet at the dance. Just like that, Adria believes she's in love and goes home with a feeling of joy in her heart. Upon finding out that Lando is in the dauphin of Masselia, Adria believes it's her destiny to find him and she sets off on a journey with her best friend Kaiden Sordell who is travelling to try and get a place at a very prestigious school.

We follow along as the two friends have an adventure together on their way to Masselia. Kaiden is in love with Adria and has been since they were children, but will he tell her and if so, will she reciprocate the feelings?

Adria is in for a bit of a shock upon her arrival in Masselia and Kaiden is in for a shock of his own. The pair are drawn back together and set off on another journey, this time a much more fateful one. This time, they seek out the Temple of the Red Mare. There, they will discover much more than they ever thought possible.

What truths will the pair reveal? That's for you to read the book and discover!

If you read this story, you won't be sorry you did. It was a beautiful novel, cleverly written so that you don't know what's around the corner. There is much laughter but also many tears to be beheld within the pages. This book should come with a warning that reads: "WARNING: A whole box of tissues required."
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I couldn't put it more honestly than this: The Lioness: A True Love Tale is a revitalising story of how true love is something that makes you rise. When you are in love, you don't fall, you rise. If it weighs you down, the truth is it probably isn't true love. It reminds you that love is something special that isn't taken by rights, it's given freely.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not one to read many romance novels, but this one sounded different. I wanted to highlight so many passages in this book and post them, but it would have been most of the book! I will, however, post 2 of my favorites:

"Women are fickle, Lando. Our emotions are delicate, even if we don't express it outwardly. Treat us right and we will raise you to heights never imagined possible. Hurt or spurn us, though, and we will make you regret being born. A woman will not mete out forgiveness unless she truly deems it appropriate. A second chance is one more opportunity than you should have ever had needed."

And my absolute favorite:

"Somebody once told me that when you're meant for each other, you don't fall. You rise. You become a better person and go out of your way to wow your partner. Love always brings you up, not kicks you down."

I really enjoyed reading the story of Adria and Kaidan. i felt so many different emotions while reading this and sometimes it was heart-wrenching. You want to yell at Adria and Kaidan throughout the book for being young and naive. But, they have to live their lives and make their mistakes in order to grow. I laughed out loud during the book and smiled. I didn't cry, but I had the "ugly" face with the pinched brow and down turned mouth while reading. I am so glad that no one pays attention to me when reading. I would be completely embarrassed by my faces and reactions to books.

I love Jake Bonsignore's writing. He is so adept at making the reader feel what the characters feel. He is descriptive where it counts and lets the imagination take over other times. I am sad to say that this was the first book that I have read by him (even though I own the others). I will be rectifying that little mistake very soon!!

[Books&Dreams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Worms received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
We gave this book 4.5 stars.
Lindsay a Book Worms Reviewer left this review.
Thank you Lindsay.


This is a very nice story of Adria a teenager who has a delectable sweet tooth. During a midsummer festival she meets Prince Lando. She falls for him immediately all while her child hood friend Kaidan who is madly in love with Adria watches from the side. When Prince Lando publicly humiliates Adria it is Kaidan that is there to help her piece her heart back together. The book takes you on an adventure with Adria and Kaidan. What they find will surprise you. Several times during the story I did want to smack Adria and make her realize what she was doing but in the end she figures things out and her character really did grow on me.

I had a hard time getting into the book initially but after the first couple of chapters I was hooked and loved it. It really is a story of young, true love and not only finding what your heart really desires but finding out what your heart really needs. The author does a great job at describing things so that you feel that you are right where the characters are. He makes you feel the emotions of all of the characters as they are going through there trials and tribulations. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Hayley Guertin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lioness was a wonderful read! The storyline was fast paced and incredible. The scenes are very well described and played out. Jake did a wonderful job at expressing the character's feelings as well as create the scene. It really felt like I was in their heads. Wonderful!

My favourite character has to be Kaidan. He is sweet and shy, and I thought that was absolutely adorable. The way he cares for Adria is heart warming. My feelings for Adria on the other hand are mixed. I kind of think she's annoying and naive, as in there were times I wanted to smack her, but sweet and somewhat charming. The more I read, the more I liked her.

The story shows what kind of impact love really has on our lives. It also shows how naive a girl in love can be. I loved the message of the story. I have to say, this was probably the best love story I have read so far! It had a really descriptive way of showing the growth of the two characters, and how they developed and learned together.

The ending to The Lioness is perfect. I absolutely cannot wait for The Tigress! I loved the characters (more so towards the end) and really enjoyed that we got to see not only Adria and Kaidan's story, but another one as well. I have to give the book 5 out of 5 stars. :)

[Kj Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adria and Kaiden start a trip together; Kaiden to head to school, and Adria for the supposed love of her life. What Adria doesn’t know is that Kaiden, her lifelong friend, harbors a secret love for her, yet stays silent, and helps her to reach for her happiness.
As both their dreams are shattered, they cling together, and decide to a further trek to locate the Temple of the Red Mare so that Adria can discover her heart’s truest desire. Will she recognize Kaiden’s love for her? Will Kaiden find his way into telling Adria just how much he loves her?
Jake Bonsignore hits another home run with his newest book. An epic tale of true love; a magical journey in which good, and bad cross their paths, showing us that finding love is a precious thing indeed. I found it to be a wonderfully written book, I found it all too easy to fall into their world, and not want to come back out again. I will not hesitate to recommend this book to everyone. I am looking forward to whatever comes next, as Jake’s books rock.

[Mariah Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been waiting a long time for this book, and I've really been looking forward to it, so I'm almost sad that I can't give it 5 stars. I'd really like to, but it wouldn't be honest.

It's a pleasant story, and it was an easy, enjoyable read. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a nice sweet love story.

That being said...

I thought it was too easy. There wasn't much struggle, I felt that the characters never really had to suffer too much.

Surprisingly, my favorite character wasn't Adria or Kaiden...it was none other than the incognito prince, Lando. I thought he was infinitely fascinating and would have liked to see more of him.

I was thankful that Adria and Kaiden evolved from who they were at the beginning of the book. There were a couple times near the beginning where I wanted to smack Adria. Kaiden was sweet and endearing. I enjoyed him throughout.

On the whole, it was a good enjoyable book. Anyone looking for a nice, feel good love story should definitely read The Lioness.

[Heatherlynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lioness 5 star review

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is my first read by Author Jake Bonsignore. I must say that I am truly impressed. He has a unique writing style which I enjoyed.

The lioness is a tale of love. It tells the story of a young girl named Adria, wanting to find love. However she doesn't realize love is right in front of her. Kaidan, Adria's friend, has been pining over her for some time but is unable to tell her how he feels. Just when Kaidan thinks he might have a chance to tell Adria how he feels, she runs into someone else and is smitten by this newcomer, Lando. Adria is naive and doesn't realize Lando's intentions. She believes that she has found her true love, but she is in for a big surprise.

I don't want to give too much away, but this is a great read.Each line in this story keeps you wanting more and leaves you on the edge of your seat! I just couldn't put this book down! This book is a must read!

[Jeannette Joyal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes out of the deepest desire to feel loved we search for high and low not realizing it was there right next to us all along…
A story of the struggles of loves long journey in the lives of two young people entering into that fragile age of becoming Adults. The two main characters Adria and Kaidan seem to balance each other. Kind of like ying and yang so to speak. First you have Adria who has one of those dreamy personalities, always running after thing that is just out of her reach. You have to love her ambition. Bless her heart! Then you have Kaidan, who is her rock. He always there to pick up the pieces, such a beautiful soul. Now both set out together on a journey to pursue different dreams. However destiny has other plans…
This is one story that will remind you of what love is really about. So take the journey…
As always Jake has a knack for touching you heart through his powerful writing. He just amazes me.

[Nichole Eckert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was about a young girl Adria 17 years old with a major sweet tooth looking for love. During her afternoon midsummer festival she meets Prince Lando who wasn't to forthcoming of his status. While her life long friend Kaidan watches what unfolds in front of him. When Adria wakes and Lando isn't there she decides that she wants to take the long journey with her friend Kaidan who has been pining for her but isn't able to express it. During this journey of becoming adults will they find their one true love?

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I must say that it was well written. In the beginning I was bored but I pushed through and once I got to a certain point I couldn't put it down.. So glad I did it ended up better than I would have thought.

To see what happens to Adria Catarr, Kaidan Sordell, and Prince Lando you must read

[Nikki Maynardskaggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 stars the perfect love story!!!!, February 25, 2014
By nikki skaggs - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Lioness: A True Love Tale (Kindle Edition)
I loved this story, it captured me at the beginning. I fell in love with the characters. So many emotions, it's like a rollercoaster!!!! I recommend this story for everyone to read. It's a must read, that's how good it is. Such a fun and exciting story!!!!!

[L.L. Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lioness is a vividly described tale of the journey to true love. The writing style is different and sometimes is hard to get used to, but about a third of the way through I really began to enjoy it. Half way through I couldn't put it down! I love the world in which the author has created and I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a book that is full of life and colour and love.

[Venture · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story of love and self discovery. Many lessons in this book. Not just about true love.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story!! The author has done an amazing job with capturing my heart ! The perfect love story!! I loved this, it was the perfect mix!!