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The Elven Lords #1
The Fire Lord's Lover
In a magical land ruled by ruthless Elven lords, the Fire Lord's son, Dominic Raikes, plays a deadly game to conceal his growing might from his malevolent father—until his arranged bride awakens in him passions he thought he had buried forever.
Lady Cassandra has been raised in outward purity and innocence, while secretly being trained as an assassin. Her mission is to bring down the Elven Lord and his champion son. But when she gets to court, she discovers that nothing is what it seems, least of all the man she married.
But beneath the gilded castles lies an unspeakable evil, greater than either Dominic or Cassandra had ever fathomed, and without each other they may not survive.
Lady Cassandra has been raised in outward purity and innocence, while secretly being trained as an assassin. Her mission is to bring down the Elven Lord and his champion son. But when she gets to court, she discovers that nothing is what it seems, least of all the man she married.
But beneath the gilded castles lies an unspeakable evil, greater than either Dominic or Cassandra had ever fathomed, and without each other they may not survive.
378 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2010
125 people are currently reading
3648 people want to read
About the author
Kathryne Kennedy
20 books215 followersAs a college grad, business owner, and writer, Kathryne has published nearly a dozen short stories in the SFF/Romance genre, receiving Honorable Mention twice in the 'Writers of the Future' contest. Being a self-proclaimed "Air Force brat," Kathryne has traveled a great deal, and over the years has lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S
She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two sons, and the rest of her family (including two chihuahuas named Precious and Baggins (think Lord of the Rings) who she's rather fond of).
She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two sons, and the rest of her family (including two chihuahuas named Precious and Baggins (think Lord of the Rings) who she's rather fond of).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 398 reviews
May 25, 2023
Nenia was right—terrible cover, but a great story awaits within.
The Fire Lord’s Lover really should have been called The Fire Lord’s Bastard Son’s Lover, but whatever.
This love story concerns:
1. Dominic, the bastard son of an elven lord who rules London with cruel apathy. Dominic hates his dad but has given up on fighting him, choosing instead to distance himself from everyone in his life so that they can’t be used against him.
2. Cassandra, a noble-blooded human rebel raised in a nunnery. She has very cool dance magic that allows her to make people horny or kill them, depending on her mood that day. Cassandra is engaged to Dominic and marries him with the intention of using him to assassinate his father.
All this takes place in Regency-era England, which has been taken over and practically enslaved by elves. Think Bridgerton, but with magic.
Cool premise, right?
The execution is good for the most part. At times the language was a little too archaic to read, even for a regency romance, but I liked both main characters and their romance was cute.
I have just one complaint: Dominic’s fire magic. He’s supposed to control flames, and yet it seems like there’s nothing he can’t do with that power. Yes, he can make regular fire (which they call “red flames”), but he can also trap people (with “gray” flames), heal them (“blue” flames), warm them (“yellow” flames), inflict psychological pain (“black” flames), and apparently even create some sort of privacy shield (with “orange” flames)??? Um, excuse me, I only know of one thing you can do with fire, and that’s burn shit. What’s with all this other fire nonsense?
If you want to give him a range of magical powers, then just do that. Say he’s a magician or something. But don’t pass all these other superpowers off as somehow part of a fire repertoire.
The Fire Lord’s Lover really should have been called The Fire Lord’s Bastard Son’s Lover, but whatever.
This love story concerns:
1. Dominic, the bastard son of an elven lord who rules London with cruel apathy. Dominic hates his dad but has given up on fighting him, choosing instead to distance himself from everyone in his life so that they can’t be used against him.
2. Cassandra, a noble-blooded human rebel raised in a nunnery. She has very cool dance magic that allows her to make people horny or kill them, depending on her mood that day. Cassandra is engaged to Dominic and marries him with the intention of using him to assassinate his father.
All this takes place in Regency-era England, which has been taken over and practically enslaved by elves. Think Bridgerton, but with magic.
Cool premise, right?
The execution is good for the most part. At times the language was a little too archaic to read, even for a regency romance, but I liked both main characters and their romance was cute.
I have just one complaint: Dominic’s fire magic. He’s supposed to control flames, and yet it seems like there’s nothing he can’t do with that power. Yes, he can make regular fire (which they call “red flames”), but he can also trap people (with “gray” flames), heal them (“blue” flames), warm them (“yellow” flames), inflict psychological pain (“black” flames), and apparently even create some sort of privacy shield (with “orange” flames)??? Um, excuse me, I only know of one thing you can do with fire, and that’s burn shit. What’s with all this other fire nonsense?
If you want to give him a range of magical powers, then just do that. Say he’s a magician or something. But don’t pass all these other superpowers off as somehow part of a fire repertoire.
February 23, 2012
We've all heard about it before, someone writes a review and the author or the author's friends make like rabid dogs and try to tear the reviewer apart. But this was the first time it happened to me and it was all because of this review;
"I love Fae stories. When I read about this book a month before it was released I happily added it to my wishlist and counted down the days until I could buy it.
What really got my interest was the unusual set up; an arranged marriage between a convent educated woman and the son of a Fae Lord. Oh, also, the added spark that the Fae Lords ere EVIL. Evil, maniacal dictators who have divided England into their own personal playlands where they arbitrarily kill and maim people for sport. Their main sport is fighting for the King. Yep, the King of England is their trophy and they advance huge armies in a continual game to capture the King (who is rather aptly described as a silly, dull, chubby man who is a fashion obsessed).
Into this exciting world enters our heroine, Cassandra. Fair Cassandra has been trained as an assassin. Her entire life's work is training to kill the Fire Lord. Her route of access to him is through his complicit son, Dominic, who is half human, half fae and all sexy.
Just a little tidbit about the Fae Lords and their powers. They have the typical super magics and the Fire Lord, of course, works magical fire and can raze a building to the ground in an instant. Anyway, Cassandra isn't without a touch of powers herself. She dances. Not just dances, but she does magical sexy dances and when needed, death dances. Here's where the story hits its first snag for me, 'DANCING?!!! What the hell?'
Anyway, I was totally grooving with the dancing, I mean sure, it's not as super duper as invisibility or magical potions but oh well, Cassandra has killer moves, sure, why not.
Moving along to the arranged marriage now, because by this point in the book you already know enough about the world Cassandra lives in. Just a little clarification, I'm a fan of arranged marriage romances. I like it when the author puts the hero and heroine in this super intimate position without having an emotional connection and then lets them fall in love gradually after spending time with each other. The key word here is 'gradually.' There is no gradual emotional response in this book. Cassandra loves Dominic pretty much from the get go and Dominic takes just a couple of hours to fall in with her womanly ways.
Anyway, on to the main gist of the story. Cassandra's super plan is to marry Dominic, the Fire Lord's, cold, unfeeling, bastard son and use him to get to his father. Cassandra, who is described as sorta plain and unnoticeable is going to use her position and her feminine wiles to learn any weakpoints that the totally awesome Fae duo have. As a trained assassin she will use her keen intellect, her fighting skills, dancing and most of all, patience, to annihilate her enemies. Here's where the story hits its second snag, for a trained assassin she behaves a lot like an impatient schoolgirl.
Okay, on with the wedding. After a bout of dirty dancing,Miss Cassandra and her new hubby adjourn to their bed chamber for a bout of heated lovemaking. What?! I know, she hardly knows Dominic and as I've already stated, he's cold and unfeeling, but Cassandra turns all eager and lovelorn once she gets a look at his manly chest. I thought to myself, okay, sure, he is a hottie and he is her hubby, maybe it is best to try to enjoy the sex part, but from here on out, she's not just in love with him, she's crazy, writing-his-name-on-her-binder in love with him.
Same, same with Dominic, except he fights his feelings for her by hanging out with some trash whore his father approves of.
Now, just to clarify, I picked this book up because it's a romance. But I can't totally feel the romance if the characters fall in love and in bed with each other way before the halfway point. Talk about disappointing.
So, with the romance gone, all that's left is the secondary plot of the resistance trying to overthrow the Fae Lords. This plot was okay, except when Cassandra would muck things up by being impatient and lame.
So, I guess my feelings about this book are a little less than positive. There's a lot of cool stuff going on but I didn't love the heroine and after Dominic fell in love with her he seemed less like the strong, decisive, smart Alpha male and more like a thoughtless, emotional teenager with his first girlfriend."
Not exactly a rabble rouser, but it sure lead to some surprising revelations, the first of which is that some authors use multiple names to comment on and review on Amazon, some authors will lie about this, obvious, and they will go to bizarre lengths to punish anyone who posts a negative review about their creations.
For the full story, follow the links;
This is the discussion thread where the sockpuppetry is revealed, http://www.amazon.com/forum/romance/r...
Here's the comment thread under my review; http://www.amazon.com/review/R3DPB7EI...
UPDATE: Just found out from DearAuthor that the perpetrator was the author's husband. Still not feeling good about this. My hubby wouldn't do that!
Here's the link to DearAuther http://dearauthor.com/features/indust...
I wish all authors could read this and learn from it.
"I love Fae stories. When I read about this book a month before it was released I happily added it to my wishlist and counted down the days until I could buy it.
What really got my interest was the unusual set up; an arranged marriage between a convent educated woman and the son of a Fae Lord. Oh, also, the added spark that the Fae Lords ere EVIL. Evil, maniacal dictators who have divided England into their own personal playlands where they arbitrarily kill and maim people for sport. Their main sport is fighting for the King. Yep, the King of England is their trophy and they advance huge armies in a continual game to capture the King (who is rather aptly described as a silly, dull, chubby man who is a fashion obsessed).
Into this exciting world enters our heroine, Cassandra. Fair Cassandra has been trained as an assassin. Her entire life's work is training to kill the Fire Lord. Her route of access to him is through his complicit son, Dominic, who is half human, half fae and all sexy.
Just a little tidbit about the Fae Lords and their powers. They have the typical super magics and the Fire Lord, of course, works magical fire and can raze a building to the ground in an instant. Anyway, Cassandra isn't without a touch of powers herself. She dances. Not just dances, but she does magical sexy dances and when needed, death dances. Here's where the story hits its first snag for me, 'DANCING?!!! What the hell?'
Anyway, I was totally grooving with the dancing, I mean sure, it's not as super duper as invisibility or magical potions but oh well, Cassandra has killer moves, sure, why not.
Moving along to the arranged marriage now, because by this point in the book you already know enough about the world Cassandra lives in. Just a little clarification, I'm a fan of arranged marriage romances. I like it when the author puts the hero and heroine in this super intimate position without having an emotional connection and then lets them fall in love gradually after spending time with each other. The key word here is 'gradually.' There is no gradual emotional response in this book. Cassandra loves Dominic pretty much from the get go and Dominic takes just a couple of hours to fall in with her womanly ways.
Anyway, on to the main gist of the story. Cassandra's super plan is to marry Dominic, the Fire Lord's, cold, unfeeling, bastard son and use him to get to his father. Cassandra, who is described as sorta plain and unnoticeable is going to use her position and her feminine wiles to learn any weakpoints that the totally awesome Fae duo have. As a trained assassin she will use her keen intellect, her fighting skills, dancing and most of all, patience, to annihilate her enemies. Here's where the story hits its second snag, for a trained assassin she behaves a lot like an impatient schoolgirl.
Okay, on with the wedding. After a bout of dirty dancing,Miss Cassandra and her new hubby adjourn to their bed chamber for a bout of heated lovemaking. What?! I know, she hardly knows Dominic and as I've already stated, he's cold and unfeeling, but Cassandra turns all eager and lovelorn once she gets a look at his manly chest. I thought to myself, okay, sure, he is a hottie and he is her hubby, maybe it is best to try to enjoy the sex part, but from here on out, she's not just in love with him, she's crazy, writing-his-name-on-her-binder in love with him.
Same, same with Dominic, except he fights his feelings for her by hanging out with some trash whore his father approves of.
Now, just to clarify, I picked this book up because it's a romance. But I can't totally feel the romance if the characters fall in love and in bed with each other way before the halfway point. Talk about disappointing.
So, with the romance gone, all that's left is the secondary plot of the resistance trying to overthrow the Fae Lords. This plot was okay, except when Cassandra would muck things up by being impatient and lame.
So, I guess my feelings about this book are a little less than positive. There's a lot of cool stuff going on but I didn't love the heroine and after Dominic fell in love with her he seemed less like the strong, decisive, smart Alpha male and more like a thoughtless, emotional teenager with his first girlfriend."
Not exactly a rabble rouser, but it sure lead to some surprising revelations, the first of which is that some authors use multiple names to comment on and review on Amazon, some authors will lie about this, obvious, and they will go to bizarre lengths to punish anyone who posts a negative review about their creations.
For the full story, follow the links;
This is the discussion thread where the sockpuppetry is revealed, http://www.amazon.com/forum/romance/r...
Here's the comment thread under my review; http://www.amazon.com/review/R3DPB7EI...
UPDATE: Just found out from DearAuthor that the perpetrator was the author's husband. Still not feeling good about this. My hubby wouldn't do that!
Here's the link to DearAuther http://dearauthor.com/features/indust...
I wish all authors could read this and learn from it.
December 28, 2012
I really REALLY liked this book. It's kind of a perfect Vaginal Fantasy book. It mixes fantasy with romance in a really interesting way, and I loved how Elves weren't all delicate and nice, they were kind of bastards.
The romance is good, the ending is the ONLY thing I thought was a bit weird, but considering she's setting up a series I'll cut her some slack. Overall a really fun read!
The romance is good, the ending is the ONLY thing I thought was a bit weird, but considering she's setting up a series I'll cut her some slack. Overall a really fun read!
Want to read
June 15, 2019Reviews suuuure are mixed for this one but
*slams fists on the table*
ELF SMUT ELF SMUT ELF SMUT
*slams fists on the table*
ELF SMUT ELF SMUT ELF SMUT
May 28, 2017
The Fire Lord's Lover
2 Stars
Warning: Rant ahead!
In the alternate world of the Elven Lords, England is conquered and enslaved by 7 megalomanic elves, who war amongst themselves for the honor of keeping the King of England as a trophy. Dominic Raikes is the bastard son of the Elven Lord of Firehame, a tyrannical and sadistic despot, who loves nothing more than torturing his subjects, especially his son. After winning the King for his father, Dominic is forced into an arranged marriage with Lady Cassandra, but little does he know that his new bride is an assassin for the Rebellion assigned with the task of murdering Dominic’s father.
Very disappointing. The basic plot of The Fire Lord’s Lover has such incredible potential. Unfortunately, the overly descriptive writing, weak characterization and unrealistic romance ruin what could otherwise have been an excellent story.
Cassandra starts out as an engaging heroine with an interesting upbringing and a seemingly suicidal mission. One would expect her to be strong-willed and well-trained in the arts of the assassin, but one is bound to be disappointed as Cass’s weapon of choice is not knives, swords or even rifles - it is dancing!
Dominic has all the traits of the tortured hero - abused by his father and forced into being his champion, Dominic has closed himself off to all human companionship for fear that his father will murder anyone he gets close to. After one night of sex, he finds himself unable to live without Cass, but instead of worshipping the ground she walks on (as any other possessive alpha would do), Dominic insults and demeans her, and flaunts his mistress in her face - yup, not exactly hero behavior is it?
The attraction between Dominic and Cassandra lacks any sort of foundation and their chemistry is virtually non-existent, which makes their romance incomprehensible.
Although the world building is intriguing, Kennedy’s writing style leaves a lot to be desired. Rather than providing the necessary detail that would flesh out the elves origins and abilities, she provides pages and pages of unnecessary descriptions of decoration, fashion and horticulture. There are a number of action scenes that could have contributed to the plot, but they are short-lived and anticlimactic, including the final confrontation between Dominic and his father.
The only character that was remotely interesting was the dragon. Unfortunately, he too is underdeveloped and instead of a powerful being, he is more of a gelding who speaks in hints and riddles, and never actually does anything.
All in all, this is a prime example of how to ruin a wonderful premise.
2 Stars
Warning: Rant ahead!
In the alternate world of the Elven Lords, England is conquered and enslaved by 7 megalomanic elves, who war amongst themselves for the honor of keeping the King of England as a trophy. Dominic Raikes is the bastard son of the Elven Lord of Firehame, a tyrannical and sadistic despot, who loves nothing more than torturing his subjects, especially his son. After winning the King for his father, Dominic is forced into an arranged marriage with Lady Cassandra, but little does he know that his new bride is an assassin for the Rebellion assigned with the task of murdering Dominic’s father.
Very disappointing. The basic plot of The Fire Lord’s Lover has such incredible potential. Unfortunately, the overly descriptive writing, weak characterization and unrealistic romance ruin what could otherwise have been an excellent story.
Cassandra starts out as an engaging heroine with an interesting upbringing and a seemingly suicidal mission. One would expect her to be strong-willed and well-trained in the arts of the assassin, but one is bound to be disappointed as Cass’s weapon of choice is not knives, swords or even rifles - it is dancing!
Dominic has all the traits of the tortured hero - abused by his father and forced into being his champion, Dominic has closed himself off to all human companionship for fear that his father will murder anyone he gets close to. After one night of sex, he finds himself unable to live without Cass, but instead of worshipping the ground she walks on (as any other possessive alpha would do), Dominic insults and demeans her, and flaunts his mistress in her face - yup, not exactly hero behavior is it?
The attraction between Dominic and Cassandra lacks any sort of foundation and their chemistry is virtually non-existent, which makes their romance incomprehensible.
Although the world building is intriguing, Kennedy’s writing style leaves a lot to be desired. Rather than providing the necessary detail that would flesh out the elves origins and abilities, she provides pages and pages of unnecessary descriptions of decoration, fashion and horticulture. There are a number of action scenes that could have contributed to the plot, but they are short-lived and anticlimactic, including the final confrontation between Dominic and his father.
The only character that was remotely interesting was the dragon. Unfortunately, he too is underdeveloped and instead of a powerful being, he is more of a gelding who speaks in hints and riddles, and never actually does anything.
All in all, this is a prime example of how to ruin a wonderful premise.
January 11, 2023
5 Cass twisting a hank of Dominic’s hair around her fist stars out of 5.
The most entertaining bit is how obsessed Cass is with Dominic’s luxuriously thick, straight, and long silver blonde tresses. Female gaze things 💓💅🏻🧚🏻♀️🌸
It wasn’t the adrenaline rush of the all-nightwe romance but I pleasantly enjoyed everything, on the whole. RTC!
Some more thoughts:
The character development for the hero was the main focus. It was all about hero learning to accept his emotional side/human side. I sort of felt like the heroine’s character development got lost. She was supposed to be an assassin but quickly fell in love. That’s fine - I actually liked how she fell in love with him quickly but not that her job she’s been training her whole life for is abandoned.
The heroine is also pretty pious. I’m not sure if I missed anything but it did feel a little random. I’m not sure if it did anything for the plot. I did skim a bit so maybe I missed something.
The most entertaining bit is how obsessed Cass is with Dominic’s luxuriously thick, straight, and long silver blonde tresses. Female gaze things 💓💅🏻🧚🏻♀️🌸
It wasn’t the adrenaline rush of the all-nightwe romance but I pleasantly enjoyed everything, on the whole. RTC!
Some more thoughts:
The character development for the hero was the main focus. It was all about hero learning to accept his emotional side/human side. I sort of felt like the heroine’s character development got lost. She was supposed to be an assassin but quickly fell in love. That’s fine - I actually liked how she fell in love with him quickly but not that her job she’s been training her whole life for is abandoned.
The heroine is also pretty pious. I’m not sure if I missed anything but it did feel a little random. I’m not sure if it did anything for the plot. I did skim a bit so maybe I missed something.
August 4, 2016
Apparently I like my romance with a bit of cheese. (See Lord of the Storm and Ritual Sins for reference.)
A lot about this novel didn't quite work for me. I'm not a fan of the alternate history setting, and at times with the worldbuilding I was like "Huh?" The plot was average, the writing so-so. The descriptions were sometimes so convoluted I had to go back and reread for clarity.
But the romance. I loved it. I loved that Dominic and Cass fell right into bed . I loved their relationship. They actually communicated, and Dominic never bossed her around. This book cements it: I hate alpha males. HATE THEM. Also, I've discovered I love when the hero calls the heroine "my lady." *swoon*
So, yes, this book is far, FAR from perfect, but I don't really care because the romance gave me butterflies. And since that's basically what I hope for when I read romances, this one was a success for me!
A lot about this novel didn't quite work for me. I'm not a fan of the alternate history setting, and at times with the worldbuilding I was like "Huh?" The plot was average, the writing so-so. The descriptions were sometimes so convoluted I had to go back and reread for clarity.
But the romance. I loved it. I loved that Dominic and Cass fell right into bed . I loved their relationship. They actually communicated, and Dominic never bossed her around. This book cements it: I hate alpha males. HATE THEM. Also, I've discovered I love when the hero calls the heroine "my lady." *swoon*
So, yes, this book is far, FAR from perfect, but I don't really care because the romance gave me butterflies. And since that's basically what I hope for when I read romances, this one was a success for me!
September 11, 2016
It was AWESOME!
In this world, Elf Lords and Ladies rule the world in sectors and most are cruel. They perceive humans as animals or playthings for their amusement. In this dangerous world, being human means being expendable. The elves are cold, emotionless and single-minded in their pursuit for power and domination. They look upon emotions that humans and the part elf humans have as frail weakness.
Cass is the chosen bride of the Fire Lord's son.
The Fire Lord wants to breed a new champion.
Dominic is the half-fae son of Lord Mor-ded.
He has been conditioned to hold himself remote from all affection. Affection is a tool his father and his enemies can use against him. TRULLY the chemistry between the two main characters is amazing.
One of the things I love about this book is that is different from everything else I have read. If you like fantasy and romance, then you won't be disappointed.
In this world, Elf Lords and Ladies rule the world in sectors and most are cruel. They perceive humans as animals or playthings for their amusement. In this dangerous world, being human means being expendable. The elves are cold, emotionless and single-minded in their pursuit for power and domination. They look upon emotions that humans and the part elf humans have as frail weakness.
Cass is the chosen bride of the Fire Lord's son.
The Fire Lord wants to breed a new champion.
Dominic is the half-fae son of Lord Mor-ded.
He has been conditioned to hold himself remote from all affection. Affection is a tool his father and his enemies can use against him. TRULLY the chemistry between the two main characters is amazing.
One of the things I love about this book is that is different from everything else I have read. If you like fantasy and romance, then you won't be disappointed.
December 12, 2017
Faith is believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.
- Voltaire -
Showing no emotions is something General Dominic Raikes is very good at. Being a bastard son, he is getting tired in his efforts to make his father proud. The more he tries, the more pain he feels. The only beautiful part of his father is the stunning angelic looks which is inherited by Dominic. Dominic couldn't let anyone get too close to him, including his bride. Which should be an easy thing to do because no woman ever get him distracted.
Lady Cassandra married the General for one purpose only, to assassinate her tyrannical and cold-blooded father in law. As a member of the Rebellion Cass had been trained very well to kill. Having some elf blood in her aristocrat bloodlines is another advantage. She is gifted with a little magic. Her dance is somehow hypnotizing. She can dance to kill or to seduce. She is ready for everything, except falling in love with her husband.
I love reading stories about tortured heroes. Dominic has been emotionally tortured by his father since he was a child. Even so, Dominic makes himself unreachable for others because he wants to protect them. He doesn't care how bad they would think of him as long as no one gets killed because of him. It makes him so lonely, but he doesn't have another choice. This kind of tortured hero brought me some fresh air. And Cass was just a perfect heroine for him. She knows how to keep her head high against the humiliations by her own husband.
Oh how I loved both of them together! The romance was so intense. My eyes gleamed with surprise when Dominic makes love to Cass with his flame magic. One moment he makes love to her as if she was the most delicate woman, the next moment he humiliates her in front of others. Dominic's charades made me angry enough to hit the roof. But I was so glad Cass isn't easily broken. When he strikes her pride, she makes him see how much he wants her.
Romance books have the tendency to dramatize the story with unnecessary misunderstanding. Some books got along with it very well, while others didn't. But it rarely worked with me. I admired how the author portrayed love in this book. Love comes with trust but it doesn't mean it's blind. There are scandals, secrets, and deceptions, but Dominic and Cass have no place for misunderstanding and vengeance. They trust each other. When there's doubt, prove it wrong and get through it. When mistakes are made, forgive willingly.
And who would have thought that Cass is also a very religious woman? Cass stands for what she believed in. She believes in God and she has tremendous faith in Him. Whenever Cass feels uncertain she prays for courage. Dominic doesn't believe in God. But Cass never stops reminding him to have faith. No matter how desperate they will be, she will never lose hope for both of them. Dominic and Cass know that by being really together, a great danger is already coming, even death itself.
The ending astonished me. I didn't liked it although it did make sense with the whole story.
The Fire Lord's Lover has the romance, family intrigue, good vs evil, and strong message about faith. I don't know if fans of fantasy books would enjoy it since it has a great proportion of romance. As for romance readers, well.. what could I possibly say?
Updated: I've lowered my rating for a reason. I still loved the romance. But I recently read some fantasy books, also about faeries and romance. It raised my standards.
- Voltaire -
Showing no emotions is something General Dominic Raikes is very good at. Being a bastard son, he is getting tired in his efforts to make his father proud. The more he tries, the more pain he feels. The only beautiful part of his father is the stunning angelic looks which is inherited by Dominic. Dominic couldn't let anyone get too close to him, including his bride. Which should be an easy thing to do because no woman ever get him distracted.
Lady Cassandra married the General for one purpose only, to assassinate her tyrannical and cold-blooded father in law. As a member of the Rebellion Cass had been trained very well to kill. Having some elf blood in her aristocrat bloodlines is another advantage. She is gifted with a little magic. Her dance is somehow hypnotizing. She can dance to kill or to seduce. She is ready for everything, except falling in love with her husband.
Dominic could not take his eyes off her. She used her long brown hair as a cape, spinning and revealing parts of her body teasingly, then allowing the silky tendrils to cover her once again. Her brown eyes glazed to a dark luminosity, a fascinating mixture of sultry innocence.
Her nightgown hid nothing and yet when she lifted the hem above a thigh, the sight of her smooth skin inflamed him even more.
He had thought her pleasing to look at, exquisitely shaped. But as she danced, she became ethereally beautiful.
Her complete innocence in his bed and genuine faith convinced him she'd been raised religiously, and yet somewhere she'd learned an elven love dance.
What manner of woman had he married?
I love reading stories about tortured heroes. Dominic has been emotionally tortured by his father since he was a child. Even so, Dominic makes himself unreachable for others because he wants to protect them. He doesn't care how bad they would think of him as long as no one gets killed because of him. It makes him so lonely, but he doesn't have another choice. This kind of tortured hero brought me some fresh air. And Cass was just a perfect heroine for him. She knows how to keep her head high against the humiliations by her own husband.
Oh how I loved both of them together! The romance was so intense. My eyes gleamed with surprise when Dominic makes love to Cass with his flame magic. One moment he makes love to her as if she was the most delicate woman, the next moment he humiliates her in front of others. Dominic's charades made me angry enough to hit the roof. But I was so glad Cass isn't easily broken. When he strikes her pride, she makes him see how much he wants her.
Romance books have the tendency to dramatize the story with unnecessary misunderstanding. Some books got along with it very well, while others didn't. But it rarely worked with me. I admired how the author portrayed love in this book. Love comes with trust but it doesn't mean it's blind. There are scandals, secrets, and deceptions, but Dominic and Cass have no place for misunderstanding and vengeance. They trust each other. When there's doubt, prove it wrong and get through it. When mistakes are made, forgive willingly.
And who would have thought that Cass is also a very religious woman? Cass stands for what she believed in. She believes in God and she has tremendous faith in Him. Whenever Cass feels uncertain she prays for courage. Dominic doesn't believe in God. But Cass never stops reminding him to have faith. No matter how desperate they will be, she will never lose hope for both of them. Dominic and Cass know that by being really together, a great danger is already coming, even death itself.
The ending astonished me. I didn't liked it although it did make sense with the whole story.
The Fire Lord's Lover has the romance, family intrigue, good vs evil, and strong message about faith. I don't know if fans of fantasy books would enjoy it since it has a great proportion of romance. As for romance readers, well.. what could I possibly say?
He spoke again, and this time she heard the despair. The pain of a man who had felt abandoned for far too long. "Damn it, Cassandra, what has your God ever done for me?"
She allowed the covers to fall, scooted closer, and leaned over him, her breasts pressed against the smooth hardness of his chest. "He brought you… me."
Updated: I've lowered my rating for a reason. I still loved the romance. But I recently read some fantasy books, also about faeries and romance. It raised my standards.
December 19, 2014
Loved the first half of the book. The hero and heroine get married without knowing each other. He's the Imperial Lord's son who happens to be one of England's seven elven lords. He's considered to be as cold and unfeeling as his father, without any human feelings. He's also a very powerful Fire Lord (wields fire magic). The heroine has a few magical abilities herself and she's trained to be an assassin in order to kill the Imperial Lord.
It took a while for me to understand the politics and how magic and elves worked in this book but when it got going, it was really very interesting. I simply adored the first half where the hero's treating the heroine badly in front of the court in order to not betray his human heart. I also liked the heroine; no silly, simpering miss but no daredevil, stupid know-it-all kick-ass either. The second part was much too mushy and sweet for my taste, but the bakstory about how they'd deal with the Imperial Lord kept the story interesting.
This is my second Katherine Kennedy book (the first being Enchanting the Lady) and though I liked both books, I don't think her style works for me. Too sweet and loving heroes probably when I'm into more alpha kind of guys. Pity, cause the plots themselves are quite interesting and unique.
It took a while for me to understand the politics and how magic and elves worked in this book but when it got going, it was really very interesting. I simply adored the first half where the hero's treating the heroine badly in front of the court in order to not betray his human heart. I also liked the heroine; no silly, simpering miss but no daredevil, stupid know-it-all kick-ass either. The second part was much too mushy and sweet for my taste, but the bakstory about how they'd deal with the Imperial Lord kept the story interesting.
This is my second Katherine Kennedy book (the first being Enchanting the Lady) and though I liked both books, I don't think her style works for me. Too sweet and loving heroes probably when I'm into more alpha kind of guys. Pity, cause the plots themselves are quite interesting and unique.
May 15, 2019
This was a random recommendation from Goodreads from an author I had never read before, so I wasn’t expecting much. If anything I was expecting a so awful-it’s-good novel - I mean look at that cover. But to my surprise this was a pretty good book. A mix of romance and fantasy with an alternative earth / England full of evil eleven lords, magic and dragons, this novel is firmly in the romance camp with the rest providing flavour. With the exception of Cassandra, our main character, who dithers between love stuck ingenue and so-called Assassin, the world building is surprisingly consistent. I mostly liked the magic, the depiction of the elves and the factions. There wasn’t much explanation or limits to the magic use, except a vague reference to fire colours, but it generally worked.
The romance follows a very rapid pace with the insta love trope these magic fantasy romance take. However, especially in the last third of the book, the plot focuses on fantasy tropes of defeating the big bad evil so I stuck through it.
I was also pleased with the writing - it was not particularly purple and, except for an insistence on the beauty of he elves and the silver blond hair, it wasn’t repetitive.
All in all - an easy romance read with fantasy elements. Read for a pleasant diversion but don’t expect a book to rival LOTR despite what the back cover promises. Embrace the cheese!
The romance follows a very rapid pace with the insta love trope these magic fantasy romance take. However, especially in the last third of the book, the plot focuses on fantasy tropes of defeating the big bad evil so I stuck through it.
I was also pleased with the writing - it was not particularly purple and, except for an insistence on the beauty of he elves and the silver blond hair, it wasn’t repetitive.
All in all - an easy romance read with fantasy elements. Read for a pleasant diversion but don’t expect a book to rival LOTR despite what the back cover promises. Embrace the cheese!
October 16, 2019
Upon 2nd read, 9 years later, I'm not nearly as in love with this story as I originally had been. 🤷🏻♀️
August 24, 2010
(This was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
When I heard of this book, I knew it was made for me! I love Historical romances, I love Fantasy. And let me tell you the mix of both is explosive! If not for the Elves this world would be your typical Georgian England. Imagine a world where cruel Elven Lords with magical powers took control of England and play war games to know who will have the King in their court. To summarize I LOVED it.
Cassandra is to be married to the son of the Elven Lord. This is an arranged marriage and she knows she will only be a breeding mare for her new husband and no love will be involved in the process. Which is fortunate since she’s on a mission to kill his father and free the people of England of the mad tyrant. You have to understand that these Elves have been in England for hundreds of years and they had children with humans. As a result most children have a percentage of Elven blood which makes them more or less magical. Every child is submitted to a trial at puberty and those with the most magic are sent to the Elve’s world. The whole world was fascinating.
Dominic is the bastard of the Elven Lord, he is also the king’s Champion and general of his army. I LOVED Dominic to pieces….but again I have this thing for cold heroes. Dominic has learned to hide his feelings ever since his (MAD!) father thought torturing those close to Dominic was a good incentive to force him to reveal his true power. The Elven Lord is afraid Dominic is hiding his powers and plots to kill him. Dominic closed himself to feelings. He is cold and very lonely. He can’t show any ‘special’ interest in his new wife without risking her safety. But Catherine will find her way into his heart despite his best efforts…Can he save her from his father?
I don’t think I can say this enough…I love love love this book. There is a Dragon!!! A Dragon! How can you not love it? lol The Court, the magic…everything is so interesting and new, I was sad when it ended. It was the perfect mix between fantasy, adventure and Historical romance. I am not 100% happy about the ending but not a biggie. Near the end we meet the heroine of the next book…I can’t wait for it to be released! This is a very unique series that will enchant lovers of historicals and fantasy. A beautiful gem to be treasured.
I give it 5 Bookies
When I heard of this book, I knew it was made for me! I love Historical romances, I love Fantasy. And let me tell you the mix of both is explosive! If not for the Elves this world would be your typical Georgian England. Imagine a world where cruel Elven Lords with magical powers took control of England and play war games to know who will have the King in their court. To summarize I LOVED it.
Cassandra is to be married to the son of the Elven Lord. This is an arranged marriage and she knows she will only be a breeding mare for her new husband and no love will be involved in the process. Which is fortunate since she’s on a mission to kill his father and free the people of England of the mad tyrant. You have to understand that these Elves have been in England for hundreds of years and they had children with humans. As a result most children have a percentage of Elven blood which makes them more or less magical. Every child is submitted to a trial at puberty and those with the most magic are sent to the Elve’s world. The whole world was fascinating.
Dominic is the bastard of the Elven Lord, he is also the king’s Champion and general of his army. I LOVED Dominic to pieces….but again I have this thing for cold heroes. Dominic has learned to hide his feelings ever since his (MAD!) father thought torturing those close to Dominic was a good incentive to force him to reveal his true power. The Elven Lord is afraid Dominic is hiding his powers and plots to kill him. Dominic closed himself to feelings. He is cold and very lonely. He can’t show any ‘special’ interest in his new wife without risking her safety. But Catherine will find her way into his heart despite his best efforts…Can he save her from his father?
I don’t think I can say this enough…I love love love this book. There is a Dragon!!! A Dragon! How can you not love it? lol The Court, the magic…everything is so interesting and new, I was sad when it ended. It was the perfect mix between fantasy, adventure and Historical romance. I am not 100% happy about the ending but not a biggie. Near the end we meet the heroine of the next book…I can’t wait for it to be released! This is a very unique series that will enchant lovers of historicals and fantasy. A beautiful gem to be treasured.
I give it 5 Bookies
December 25, 2010
Ms. Kennedy has created a unique world in old England, and I mean medieval times of horses and castles. Seven bored elven lords escape their home on the other side of the veil to come to England. They have divided up the country and now sate their boredom by controlling the king, lords, ladies, and subjects of their region. Each Elven lord has a unique power. They are pure blood elves but mate with human women to produce half-elven children which they use in battle against one another and for general amusement. The story is about the son of the fire lord Mor'ded. His name is Dominic and he is one of the most interesting characters I have read in quite awhile. He is his fathers Champion (General of his army) and to have gained this honor he has had to embrace his uncaring Elven side. His father has punished him harshly for showing human emotions in the past. His father wants to breed another Champion so he will have a spare which leads him to find Dominic a bride. Her name is Casandra, called Cass. She is also part Elven but does not have a full blood parent so no one expects that she has any talent of worth or concern.
Dominic has inherited his fathers ability to create different kinds of fire. Cassandra has been trained as a spy for the Rebellion and has the ability to dance, not just any dance but a long forgotten Elven dance of power. Quite an interesting ability. The story of their wedding and difficult first weeks is endearing...you will go Ahhhhhh so many times in this book. There are secondary characters like the two slave girls Cass takes as her servants. They too have very interesting skills. I absolutely loved these characters and the world they inhabit. I hated to get to the end and it is a long read.
I loved the fact that this story wrapped completely. It's a rare treat for a new series. In future installments Ms. Kennedy will take us to other Elven Lord strongholds and continue to introduce us to those who challenge the rule of the cruel Elves. They are called the Resistence and they are humans who want the Elves out of their world and to stop the Elves from taking all children that show true Elven magical skills. The fate of these children is at the heart of their desperation. There are six more evil Elven lords ruling people in cruelty and bondage. I can't wait for the next one.
Dominic has inherited his fathers ability to create different kinds of fire. Cassandra has been trained as a spy for the Rebellion and has the ability to dance, not just any dance but a long forgotten Elven dance of power. Quite an interesting ability. The story of their wedding and difficult first weeks is endearing...you will go Ahhhhhh so many times in this book. There are secondary characters like the two slave girls Cass takes as her servants. They too have very interesting skills. I absolutely loved these characters and the world they inhabit. I hated to get to the end and it is a long read.
I loved the fact that this story wrapped completely. It's a rare treat for a new series. In future installments Ms. Kennedy will take us to other Elven Lord strongholds and continue to introduce us to those who challenge the rule of the cruel Elves. They are called the Resistence and they are humans who want the Elves out of their world and to stop the Elves from taking all children that show true Elven magical skills. The fate of these children is at the heart of their desperation. There are six more evil Elven lords ruling people in cruelty and bondage. I can't wait for the next one.
June 11, 2011
Those with Elf blood have infiltrated Georgian England and are now part of the ruling class. In fact, with displays of fear and supernatural power they are the true rulers of our world and keep everyone enslaved because of it. None more so than The Fire Lord Mor'ded himself.
Cassandra has been sequestered all her life awaiting her destiny- to become the wife of the Fire Lord's son. However, few know the reason why she has agreed to such a life. But to fulfill her true purpose of getting close enough to kill the evil Elvin Fire Lord himself she will stop at nothing and do whatever she has to, even if it means marrying the coldest man she's ever met.
But Dominic is not the man she supposes him to be and, it is the passion they feel for each other which will give them strength to do what is in them to do- set their people free once and for all.
I enjoyed this read- found the mix of fantasy/hist-rom/alternate earth timeline really fun but ultimately much too sweet for my tastes. For those that enjoy historical romance but may be bored with the same old, same old, The Fire Lord's Lover certainly fits the bill. It has court life and imperial intrigue for those that like that sort of thing AND magic and magical creatures for the change up- which I of course normally love.
However I need a little more bite to my stories and for some reason the H/h lacked the chemistry needed to get me to call this one a book to die for. Plus the author's explanation of what everyone was wearing just sorta made me feel like it was some sort of role playing game for the author. Not sure why I had that feeling, but it made me slightly uncomfortable.
Still I liked the world enough to possibly read more in this series so we shall see...
Cassandra has been sequestered all her life awaiting her destiny- to become the wife of the Fire Lord's son. However, few know the reason why she has agreed to such a life. But to fulfill her true purpose of getting close enough to kill the evil Elvin Fire Lord himself she will stop at nothing and do whatever she has to, even if it means marrying the coldest man she's ever met.
But Dominic is not the man she supposes him to be and, it is the passion they feel for each other which will give them strength to do what is in them to do- set their people free once and for all.
I enjoyed this read- found the mix of fantasy/hist-rom/alternate earth timeline really fun but ultimately much too sweet for my tastes. For those that enjoy historical romance but may be bored with the same old, same old, The Fire Lord's Lover certainly fits the bill. It has court life and imperial intrigue for those that like that sort of thing AND magic and magical creatures for the change up- which I of course normally love.
However I need a little more bite to my stories and for some reason the H/h lacked the chemistry needed to get me to call this one a book to die for. Plus the author's explanation of what everyone was wearing just sorta made me feel like it was some sort of role playing game for the author. Not sure why I had that feeling, but it made me slightly uncomfortable.
Still I liked the world enough to possibly read more in this series so we shall see...
July 31, 2010
The Fire Lord’s Lover by Kathryne Kennedy is a dark tale of intrigue, treachery, and unexpected love in a fantasy Georgian England where malicious elves rule their despised human slaves with a brutal hand.
This first book of the series takes place in Firehame, the domain of the Fire Lord, Mor'ded. Dominic, Mor'ded’s half-human son and general of his army, has just won the latest of the war games the elves wage to amuse themselves. He returns home to wed Lady Cassandra in an arranged marriage. He also returns to his father’s continued scorn of his human side.
Cass, assassin for the humans of the Rebellion, weds Dominic to get close enough to his hated father to kill him. In spite of her intentions, she falls in love with Dominic, but he disdains her. A confused Cass wonders how she can convince him to return her love.
His father's cruelty has forced Dominic to bury his human emotions deep. He does his best not to fall in love with Cass. But when he does, his contempt is a mask to protect her from Mor'ded, who has tortured to death everyone for whom Dominic has ever cared.
Those of you who read my posts know that I like nice guy heroes, decent men who’ve been kicked around and it’s made them even better men. In Dominic, Ms. Kennedy has created a spectacular version of my favorite hero. Literally tortured by his father in an effort to eradicate his humanity, Dominic emerges more human than ever and the kind of hero I never tire of finding.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
This first book of the series takes place in Firehame, the domain of the Fire Lord, Mor'ded. Dominic, Mor'ded’s half-human son and general of his army, has just won the latest of the war games the elves wage to amuse themselves. He returns home to wed Lady Cassandra in an arranged marriage. He also returns to his father’s continued scorn of his human side.
Cass, assassin for the humans of the Rebellion, weds Dominic to get close enough to his hated father to kill him. In spite of her intentions, she falls in love with Dominic, but he disdains her. A confused Cass wonders how she can convince him to return her love.
His father's cruelty has forced Dominic to bury his human emotions deep. He does his best not to fall in love with Cass. But when he does, his contempt is a mask to protect her from Mor'ded, who has tortured to death everyone for whom Dominic has ever cared.
Those of you who read my posts know that I like nice guy heroes, decent men who’ve been kicked around and it’s made them even better men. In Dominic, Ms. Kennedy has created a spectacular version of my favorite hero. Literally tortured by his father in an effort to eradicate his humanity, Dominic emerges more human than ever and the kind of hero I never tire of finding.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
July 7, 2010
Dominic Raikes is the elven son of Imperial Lord Mor’ded. Dominic is a great leader and possesses extraordinary magical talents. Lord Mor’ded has Dominic under his command.
Lady Cassandra Bridges is to be married to Dominic. Though, their marriage is not born out of love. Being married to the elven king’s son brings Cassandra that much closer to spying and keeping tabs on the king.
Will Cassandra’s rouse be discovered? Also, how will Cassandra react when the man she married is not the man she thought he was but someone better?
The Fire Lord’s Lover is book one in the Elven Lords series. Author, Kathryne Kennedy starts off this brand new series off with a bang! I really warmed up to Cassandra right away. Dominic was another story. This is only because Dominic maintained a hard exterior in the beginning. Once, Dominic thawed, he became a very interesting character. I can’t wait to continue this journey with Cassandra and Dominic. This book would make a great movie. The Fire Lord’s Lover is scorching hot. Be warned as you won’t want to put this book down until the last page. I already have the next book, The Lady of the Storm on my auto buy list.
Lady Cassandra Bridges is to be married to Dominic. Though, their marriage is not born out of love. Being married to the elven king’s son brings Cassandra that much closer to spying and keeping tabs on the king.
Will Cassandra’s rouse be discovered? Also, how will Cassandra react when the man she married is not the man she thought he was but someone better?
The Fire Lord’s Lover is book one in the Elven Lords series. Author, Kathryne Kennedy starts off this brand new series off with a bang! I really warmed up to Cassandra right away. Dominic was another story. This is only because Dominic maintained a hard exterior in the beginning. Once, Dominic thawed, he became a very interesting character. I can’t wait to continue this journey with Cassandra and Dominic. This book would make a great movie. The Fire Lord’s Lover is scorching hot. Be warned as you won’t want to put this book down until the last page. I already have the next book, The Lady of the Storm on my auto buy list.
September 2, 2011
Warning: this is a gut reaction. I am not even pretending to be objective.
The whole time I was reading this, I couldn't help thinking Oh my god, really? Really? over and over. The plot is just so... trite. Predictable. Done to freaking death. And that's not even mentioning the piss poor writing, half-baked world building and the whole equating sex with love thing. I just... uh. It was terrible. A total waste of money.
Still, even though I can't stand it, that doesn't mean that someone out there wouldn't enjoy it. I would rec this book to someone who likes endless sex scenes; has a thing for stone cold, arrogant heroes and petulant heroines in the thralls of teen-aged infatuation; and is looking for an "easy" read that won't require any higher brain function.
The whole time I was reading this, I couldn't help thinking Oh my god, really? Really? over and over. The plot is just so... trite. Predictable. Done to freaking death. And that's not even mentioning the piss poor writing, half-baked world building and the whole equating sex with love thing. I just... uh. It was terrible. A total waste of money.
Still, even though I can't stand it, that doesn't mean that someone out there wouldn't enjoy it. I would rec this book to someone who likes endless sex scenes; has a thing for stone cold, arrogant heroes and petulant heroines in the thralls of teen-aged infatuation; and is looking for an "easy" read that won't require any higher brain function.
Read
September 5, 2024read: 2013
reread: 2016
I can't take Cassandra's death dances seriously. they look weird in my head and I wished she'd stopped. but will I read this over and over again? you bet your sweet tooth I will. it's enjoyable and addicting.
reread: 2016
I can't take Cassandra's death dances seriously. they look weird in my head and I wished she'd stopped. but will I read this over and over again? you bet your sweet tooth I will. it's enjoyable and addicting.
Read
February 21, 2023Do you enjoy well-thought world building, protective yet caring heroes, clever heroines, and a tender romance? If you answered yes to those questions, then this book is for you!
I didn't know what to expect going into Kathryne Kennedy's The Fire Lord's Lover. It is the first romance novel I have ever read revolving around elves and I thought it was going to be this whimsical, lovey-dovey, everything-is-so-great kind of story, but it is definitely not. These elves are not two dimensional. They are complicated, with a corrupt political system and a shaky social one. I was a little hesitant at first because this takes place in London and I was expecting high fantasy, not alternate-universe fantasy. However, as the story progressed and the world revealed itself, I realized that I really liked what Kennedy had done with London in this universe.
Both the hero and heroine in this novel are intriguing, layered and willing to do whatever they can to protect the ones they love. Dominic, the hero, is a half-elf, half-human bastard son of the Imperial Lord of Firehame. He is the Lord's champion, the general of his army and the son that has never been loved. Elves do not have human emotions and are very cold, treating humans as little more than animals. Dominic, however, has a human heart, something he considers to be a weakness until he meets Cassandra, his bride-to-be and his human emotions become dominant.
Cassandra was a fantastic heroine. She was a strange mix of innocent, clever, naive and deadly all wrapped up into this adorable, tiny package. She holds a strong faith in God and yet never feels preachy. I really felt like she was sincere in her faith, and it was endearing to read about her belief. She is a trained assassin, something that she struggles with considering her belief system, yet is completely innocent when it comes to the ways of men. I really, really, really liked that she was clever. She is not necessarily physically strong, but she makes up for that by being extraordinarily bright. In fact, all of these characters were smart and quick to act. I never felt like any of them made stupid decisions. Rash and impulsive decisions, maybe, but I could always understand their reasoning.
One thing I especially loved was the sex in this book. It's not exactly smutty and there's not that much of it. It's not the type of sex that will make you blush or giggle. It's just beautifully described. Kennedy weaves sex into the story so effortlessly and magically that it really felt like I was reading the combining of two souls rather than a physical act. Here's a description that I found to be especially beautiful:
"And then the pain faded and the general taught her a new dance. A dance she never could have conceived of, that held beauty and grace and a desperate longing to somehow make two people become one. A dance so intimate that she thought she felt his very soul."
However, there is still a plot going on besides the romance between Dominic and Cassandra, which, by the way, is a great romance. They have to deal with a Rebellion, an Imperial Lord whom they both want to kill, a dragon who rarely talks and, when he does, he makes no sense, the fact that she is an assassin and a lot more. Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the fantasy or romance genre.
I didn't know what to expect going into Kathryne Kennedy's The Fire Lord's Lover. It is the first romance novel I have ever read revolving around elves and I thought it was going to be this whimsical, lovey-dovey, everything-is-so-great kind of story, but it is definitely not. These elves are not two dimensional. They are complicated, with a corrupt political system and a shaky social one. I was a little hesitant at first because this takes place in London and I was expecting high fantasy, not alternate-universe fantasy. However, as the story progressed and the world revealed itself, I realized that I really liked what Kennedy had done with London in this universe.
Both the hero and heroine in this novel are intriguing, layered and willing to do whatever they can to protect the ones they love. Dominic, the hero, is a half-elf, half-human bastard son of the Imperial Lord of Firehame. He is the Lord's champion, the general of his army and the son that has never been loved. Elves do not have human emotions and are very cold, treating humans as little more than animals. Dominic, however, has a human heart, something he considers to be a weakness until he meets Cassandra, his bride-to-be and his human emotions become dominant.
Cassandra was a fantastic heroine. She was a strange mix of innocent, clever, naive and deadly all wrapped up into this adorable, tiny package. She holds a strong faith in God and yet never feels preachy. I really felt like she was sincere in her faith, and it was endearing to read about her belief. She is a trained assassin, something that she struggles with considering her belief system, yet is completely innocent when it comes to the ways of men. I really, really, really liked that she was clever. She is not necessarily physically strong, but she makes up for that by being extraordinarily bright. In fact, all of these characters were smart and quick to act. I never felt like any of them made stupid decisions. Rash and impulsive decisions, maybe, but I could always understand their reasoning.
One thing I especially loved was the sex in this book. It's not exactly smutty and there's not that much of it. It's not the type of sex that will make you blush or giggle. It's just beautifully described. Kennedy weaves sex into the story so effortlessly and magically that it really felt like I was reading the combining of two souls rather than a physical act. Here's a description that I found to be especially beautiful:
"And then the pain faded and the general taught her a new dance. A dance she never could have conceived of, that held beauty and grace and a desperate longing to somehow make two people become one. A dance so intimate that she thought she felt his very soul."
However, there is still a plot going on besides the romance between Dominic and Cassandra, which, by the way, is a great romance. They have to deal with a Rebellion, an Imperial Lord whom they both want to kill, a dragon who rarely talks and, when he does, he makes no sense, the fact that she is an assassin and a lot more. Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the fantasy or romance genre.
January 23, 2012
I'm on a roll!
The Fire Lord's Lover by Kathryne Kennedy is yet another FABULOUS ebook cheapie at $1.99! This was on my to-be-read (tbr) list for the longest, so I was really glad to finally get around to it. It was so good that I read it in one day...and then I read it again!! Yep, I read it TWICE!
In an alternate universe during the middle ages, England endures the reign of Elven Lords---powerful and magical beings from Elfhame who entered the human realm seeking war and even more power. Unable to return home, they decided to make themselves comfortable in the human world, acquiring slaves and servants to maintain their palaces and lands. While stunningly beautiful, these humanoid creatures are evil and self-serving---mating with humans solely to produce formidable champion warriors.
Most English citizens comply out of fear; however there is the Rebellion, a large number of people secretly working together to put an end to their tyranny. Lady Cassandra is one of them. She is a secret assassin raised to be the wife of General Dominic Raikes, the champion son of Imperial Elven Lord Mor'ded. They are to produce a new champion for Mor'ded, giving her a perfect opportunity to infiltrate his court and assassinate him. On the flip side, Dominic works hard to conceal his growing power from his father. Of course nothing goes as planned for neither Cassandra nor Dominic as they try to fight their growing feelings for one another. But they soon learn that Mor'ded is way too ruthless and powerful for either of them to take down alone.
I have totally fallen in love with Ms. Kennedy's world and her characters. Next to vampires, elves and fae are a not too distant second as my favorite supernatural species. I love love LOVE her imagery! I truly looked forward to any scene where magic was involved because she makes it very intriguing and fun. I adored Dominic and Cassandra and their evolving relationship over the course of the book. While it follows a similar pattern of other romances, it doesn't feel cliche so I really invested in this part of the story. It's really fresh...or as fresh as you can expect for a historical setting. I've read many a love scene in my large library of books, but this novel contains a scene that is probably up there with my all-time favorites. It's super tasteful, magical, and well-placed while remaining really hott.
I never tired of any of the characters or the story which is a testament to Ms. Kennedy's writing ability. It's just the right length, so the story doesn't drag. Usually towards the middle of a book I will get bored, but for this book the middle is my favorite part, keeping me the most engaged.
I'm a little concerned about the mixed reviews for the second book, but I will give it a chance. It is an ongoing series. I'm super disappointed that the next book won't center on Dominic and Cassandra, but I will give it a chance because the world building is as good as it gets. Another one that I highly recommend, and for $1.99 you have nothing to lose...or at least not a whole lot.
*Review also posted to Amazon
The Fire Lord's Lover by Kathryne Kennedy is yet another FABULOUS ebook cheapie at $1.99! This was on my to-be-read (tbr) list for the longest, so I was really glad to finally get around to it. It was so good that I read it in one day...and then I read it again!! Yep, I read it TWICE!
In an alternate universe during the middle ages, England endures the reign of Elven Lords---powerful and magical beings from Elfhame who entered the human realm seeking war and even more power. Unable to return home, they decided to make themselves comfortable in the human world, acquiring slaves and servants to maintain their palaces and lands. While stunningly beautiful, these humanoid creatures are evil and self-serving---mating with humans solely to produce formidable champion warriors.
Most English citizens comply out of fear; however there is the Rebellion, a large number of people secretly working together to put an end to their tyranny. Lady Cassandra is one of them. She is a secret assassin raised to be the wife of General Dominic Raikes, the champion son of Imperial Elven Lord Mor'ded. They are to produce a new champion for Mor'ded, giving her a perfect opportunity to infiltrate his court and assassinate him. On the flip side, Dominic works hard to conceal his growing power from his father. Of course nothing goes as planned for neither Cassandra nor Dominic as they try to fight their growing feelings for one another. But they soon learn that Mor'ded is way too ruthless and powerful for either of them to take down alone.
I have totally fallen in love with Ms. Kennedy's world and her characters. Next to vampires, elves and fae are a not too distant second as my favorite supernatural species. I love love LOVE her imagery! I truly looked forward to any scene where magic was involved because she makes it very intriguing and fun. I adored Dominic and Cassandra and their evolving relationship over the course of the book. While it follows a similar pattern of other romances, it doesn't feel cliche so I really invested in this part of the story. It's really fresh...or as fresh as you can expect for a historical setting. I've read many a love scene in my large library of books, but this novel contains a scene that is probably up there with my all-time favorites. It's super tasteful, magical, and well-placed while remaining really hott.
I never tired of any of the characters or the story which is a testament to Ms. Kennedy's writing ability. It's just the right length, so the story doesn't drag. Usually towards the middle of a book I will get bored, but for this book the middle is my favorite part, keeping me the most engaged.
I'm a little concerned about the mixed reviews for the second book, but I will give it a chance. It is an ongoing series. I'm super disappointed that the next book won't center on Dominic and Cassandra, but I will give it a chance because the world building is as good as it gets. Another one that I highly recommend, and for $1.99 you have nothing to lose...or at least not a whole lot.
*Review also posted to Amazon
July 28, 2010
OK so I was stuck between a 4 or 5 star rating when I realized that I did LOVE this story. It took me the first 30 pages to get into it but after that it just grabbed me. I really loved this world that Kathryne Kennedy has woven for us. The imagination she used was fantastic. There was so many things that she came up with in this story that will make me be craving for more. I was glad to see that when I visited her web site that this will be a series and I will be getting the next in this series. I truly will look forwards to reading it.
If you like book's with tons of imagination, magic, dragon's, Elves and I must add fantasy, romance, true love and yes pretty hot love scenes I'd say give this book a try. I'm so glad I did.
If you like book's with tons of imagination, magic, dragon's, Elves and I must add fantasy, romance, true love and yes pretty hot love scenes I'd say give this book a try. I'm so glad I did.
August 25, 2018
This is a rather fluffy little fantasy-romance. The more you embrace the silliness, the better it is!
It was a bit heavier on the romance than my usual fare, but the fantasy elements sucked me in by the end. A fun, daffy, enjoyable quick read.
It was a bit heavier on the romance than my usual fare, but the fantasy elements sucked me in by the end. A fun, daffy, enjoyable quick read.
October 20, 2011
The last two people in England who could afford to desire each other had managed to do so, despite their best efforts not to.
Fire Lord's Lover really surprised me. I hadn't paid attention to the book title, all I saw was that it was Fantasy so I jumped at the chance to start it. So when I was quite a bit into the book the amount of romance surprised me. I'll be sure to pay better attention to exactly what I'm reading next time.
Her beloved enemy.
This book switches POV from Dominic who is the half-blood son of the Elven Lord and Cassandra a lady who has been raised in a convent to keep her pure and also taught to be an assassin, and when the time is right she must kill Dominic's father. Being betrothed to Dominic is the best way on ensuring that she'll succeed. He is undoubtedly one of the most handsome men in the city so Cassandra thinks a marriage to him has it's perks, what she doesn't count on is his cool demeanor and total lack of emotions towards everyone and sometimes downright hostility towards Cassandra. He also flaunted his mistress at her wedding breakfast and completely ignored her. I admit I was close to hating him after his behavior and I felt so sorry for Cassandra at times. She was humiliated at every opportunity and dismissed as if she was a nuisance. I was however placated when I found out the reasons for Dominic acting the way he did. So it made it a little easier to read.
Overall this book was really good, there was a ton of romance that had my feminine side giving contented sighs and enough social/political themes to keep my eyes glued to the pages. The ending was a little bit of a let down, I was expecting a spectacular showdown between Mor'ded and Dominic, we get some but no where near what I'd hoped for. Everything kind of sorted itself out rather quickly aswell, it just felt very unbelievable. But if one can overlook that then this book is a great read.
Fire Lord's Lover really surprised me. I hadn't paid attention to the book title, all I saw was that it was Fantasy so I jumped at the chance to start it. So when I was quite a bit into the book the amount of romance surprised me. I'll be sure to pay better attention to exactly what I'm reading next time.
Her beloved enemy.
This book switches POV from Dominic who is the half-blood son of the Elven Lord and Cassandra a lady who has been raised in a convent to keep her pure and also taught to be an assassin, and when the time is right she must kill Dominic's father. Being betrothed to Dominic is the best way on ensuring that she'll succeed. He is undoubtedly one of the most handsome men in the city so Cassandra thinks a marriage to him has it's perks, what she doesn't count on is his cool demeanor and total lack of emotions towards everyone and sometimes downright hostility towards Cassandra. He also flaunted his mistress at her wedding breakfast and completely ignored her. I admit I was close to hating him after his behavior and I felt so sorry for Cassandra at times. She was humiliated at every opportunity and dismissed as if she was a nuisance. I was however placated when I found out the reasons for Dominic acting the way he did. So it made it a little easier to read.
Overall this book was really good, there was a ton of romance that had my feminine side giving contented sighs and enough social/political themes to keep my eyes glued to the pages. The ending was a little bit of a let down, I was expecting a spectacular showdown between Mor'ded and Dominic, we get some but no where near what I'd hoped for. Everything kind of sorted itself out rather quickly aswell, it just felt very unbelievable. But if one can overlook that then this book is a great read.
July 11, 2011
It says a lot for this book that it captured my attention and held it for the short span of time it took me to finish it (less than a day). After weeks of trouble finding a book to successfully hold my attention, this one wouldn't let it go. And I read the Kindle version...without a Kindle. (Imagine hours at a computer screen, straining your eyes because you just can't stop.)
Ms Kennedy built an interesting world, weaving the early Georgian era with a fantasy world of elves, dragons, and human-consuming plants. Her descriptions are beautiful, entrancing.
This is predominantly a romance, however, and as is the case with most historical romances, the sex is rather detailed and plentiful. But I loved the hero and the heroine. There was a touch of reality to their relationship that I appreciated.
In summary: I will read more by Ms Kennedy.
Disclaimer: The views stated here are my own. I was not paid in any way, shape, or form for this review. I received the book free from an e-book retailer. (Does that cover all the legalities for writing a review?)
Ms Kennedy built an interesting world, weaving the early Georgian era with a fantasy world of elves, dragons, and human-consuming plants. Her descriptions are beautiful, entrancing.
This is predominantly a romance, however, and as is the case with most historical romances, the sex is rather detailed and plentiful. But I loved the hero and the heroine. There was a touch of reality to their relationship that I appreciated.
In summary: I will read more by Ms Kennedy.
Disclaimer: The views stated here are my own. I was not paid in any way, shape, or form for this review. I received the book free from an e-book retailer. (Does that cover all the legalities for writing a review?)
June 7, 2013
I despise leaving negative reviews, because I know that the author has put many hours of effort and energy into writing a book, but in this case I cannot avoid it. There were a number of little things that drove me nuts in regards to the writing style in this work (long and long is simply long, no matter how many times you use it), but the biggest issues I had with this was the lack of plot details in comparison to the sex details. I understand that it is the nature of the genre, but I would have been much happier had the author taken some time between romps in the sack to flesh out the little details of life outside of the bedroom a little more. Give us some adventure to live through, maybe a little more drama. Prime example is when Cass get captured. That could have been half a book and instead she sums it up in a chapter, which includes the hero and heroin having sex at the end. This could have been much better, so much better.
January 31, 2016
More like 3.5 stars.
The Fire Lord's Lover has some interesting lore going for it. The Elven Lords reign over sections of Georgian England, sending their armies to wage war against other Lords for the right to house the King of England and his court within their own lands. The crossbreeding of elves and humans has brought magic into the world and Kennedy provided us with lots of different manifestations of this magic.
The romance was mostly decent. Cass and Dominic are arranged to be married and have only met briefly before their marriage takes place. True to romance form, they have a completely mind-blowing wedding night and then go back to not knowing each other. Without the wedding night scene, this book would have accomplished a nice slow-burn romance. With the wedding night scene, it was too much too soon.
The Fire Lord's Lover has some interesting lore going for it. The Elven Lords reign over sections of Georgian England, sending their armies to wage war against other Lords for the right to house the King of England and his court within their own lands. The crossbreeding of elves and humans has brought magic into the world and Kennedy provided us with lots of different manifestations of this magic.
The romance was mostly decent. Cass and Dominic are arranged to be married and have only met briefly before their marriage takes place. True to romance form, they have a completely mind-blowing wedding night and then go back to not knowing each other. Without the wedding night scene, this book would have accomplished a nice slow-burn romance. With the wedding night scene, it was too much too soon.
never-to-read
June 1, 2013Infidelity issues + Author's husband behaving badly ---
See: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
See: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
January 27, 2023
3.5
I loved premise of this book, and the introduction was arranged well. I was all settled in with my popcorn, ready for some drama, adventure, and romance, buuuuut…. we didn’t quite make it, lovelies.
I loved the cold, aloof hero… at first. I loved how this one had literally perfected his detachment and I loved that it was easily explained upfront, so we weren’t guessing why he was such a dick. The heroine (a trained nun and assassin- sent to kill the hero and his father) was just ok, and, in the beginning, I had every intention of loving her as well. (Yes, girl! I want you to strangle the hero while questioning your sexual feelings towards him!!) But the kickass chick forgot all her training the second she married the hero. Granted, she had a tougher job of it because she had to get the hero to like/trust her AND not let herself get attached, but it didn’t play out that way and I was missing some of the angst that would have accompanied that format.
Anyway, you see where I’m going with this? These two crazy kids, who swore to not fall in love, fall in love, have incredible sex and swear to bring down the big bad elf king together. After that I lost interest. I didn't want the hero or heroine to be all in their feels so quickly. Gross. Can one of you please try to kill each other first? I wanted it to be more complicated because I live for the performance. If the author had just stuck it out a little longer and made the two MCs baby step into trusting each other instead of almost instantly, I would have enjoyed more.
I loved premise of this book, and the introduction was arranged well. I was all settled in with my popcorn, ready for some drama, adventure, and romance, buuuuut…. we didn’t quite make it, lovelies.
I loved the cold, aloof hero… at first. I loved how this one had literally perfected his detachment and I loved that it was easily explained upfront, so we weren’t guessing why he was such a dick. The heroine (a trained nun and assassin- sent to kill the hero and his father) was just ok, and, in the beginning, I had every intention of loving her as well. (Yes, girl! I want you to strangle the hero while questioning your sexual feelings towards him!!) But the kickass chick forgot all her training the second she married the hero. Granted, she had a tougher job of it because she had to get the hero to like/trust her AND not let herself get attached, but it didn’t play out that way and I was missing some of the angst that would have accompanied that format.
Anyway, you see where I’m going with this? These two crazy kids, who swore to not fall in love, fall in love, have incredible sex and swear to bring down the big bad elf king together. After that I lost interest. I didn't want the hero or heroine to be all in their feels so quickly. Gross. Can one of you please try to kill each other first? I wanted it to be more complicated because I live for the performance. If the author had just stuck it out a little longer and made the two MCs baby step into trusting each other instead of almost instantly, I would have enjoyed more.
November 10, 2010
3 1/2 stars, not quite 4. I enjoyed this start to the Elven Lords series, but it seemed to lose momentum towards the last third of the book. Nevertheless it was a good book with such detailed world-building that you can tell the author has some major plans for this series. Unfortunately with the way this book ended I can't exactly tell what those plans are. This story finished in such an open-ended way that I wonder if the next book will follow this same couple or a new one. Not that nothing is resolved in this book, a large problem is overcame but it only brought on a even larger problem for this couple. The story seemed too unfinished to begin following a new couple but I am not sure if I'd want to read another book following this same couple either. I liked them enough but they became kinda boring once Dominic finally admitted his feelings and they decided not to hide their affection for each other. I also didn't find the secondary character who looks that he may be set up for the next romance to be all that interesting. However, the world and politics the author has created did capture my interest. I've like all the other stuff I've read by this author to this point so I will probably keep up with this series as it goes along considering I have already read all her other books to date. Anyone looking to enjoy paranormal romance in a historical setting will like any of this author's books. Those tired of paranormals with vampires and looking for something a bit different will enjoy Kennedy's books as well.
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